# kick out

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/kick-out
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to force someone to leave a place or a group because they are no longer welcome or have broken the rules.

For teachers: to expel or forcibly remove a person from a location, organization, or social group. Transitive and often used in informal contexts to describe involuntary departure.

## Examples

- The landlord will kick us out if we make too much noise.
- After he was caught cheating during the final exam, the school decided to kick him out immediately.
- The board of directors eventually decided to kick out the CEO following a series of controversial decisions that damaged the company's reputation.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The manager kicked out him." but "The manager kicked him out." — If the object is a pronoun like 'him' or 'them', it must be placed between the verb and the particle.

## Usage notes

- The object can be placed between 'kick' and 'out' or after 'out', but pronouns must go in the middle.
- Teaching tip: Compare with 'expel' for schools or 'evict' for housing to show how 'kick out' serves as the versatile, informal alternative.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.