Word
rid
US/ˈɹɪd/
UK/ɹˈɪd/
Irregular verb
Forms
Infinitive
rid
Past
rid
Past participle
rid
Definitions
01to remove something unwanted
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to make a person or place free from something annoying or unwanted.
v. to free a person or place of something encumbering or undesirable; almost always used with the preposition 'of'.
“The new manager promised to rid the office of unnecessary paperwork.”
“The government launched a massive campaign to rid the coastal waters of invasive species that were destroying the local ecosystem.”
Pitfall
I want to rid my old clothes.
I want to get rid of my old clothes.
In modern English, 'rid' is rarely used as a standalone verb; it usually appears in the phrase 'get rid of'.
02to be free of something
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. to be finished with or free from something that was a problem.
adj. used in the predicate to describe the state of being free from an unwanted person or thing.
“I am finally rid of that old car after months of trying to sell it.”
“Once the company was rid of its debt, the board of directors felt more comfortable investing in risky new technologies.”
Usage
Usually follows the verbs 'be', 'get', or 'want'.
03to clear land
C2 · Proficiency Science Archaic · Technical
v. to clear trees or bushes from a piece of land.
v. to clear land of vegetation or obstacles, often in preparation for mining or farming.
“The workers had to rid the field of stones before they could plant crops.”
“Before the quarrying could commence, the team had to rid the surface of loose earth and rubble.”
Usage
Often used in historical or technical mining contexts.
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “rid” in context.
Verb
01. help rid
“These new measures should help rid the streets of crime.”
verb + verb
02. rid of
“It is difficult to rid the garden of these persistent weeds.”
verb + prep
03. rid oneself of
“He finally managed to rid himself of his nervous habit.”
verb + pron + prep
04. try to rid
“The government is trying to rid the country of corruption.”
verb + verb
Noun
05. attempt to rid
“The attempt to rid the area of pollution was a success.”
noun + verb
06. way to rid
“We need to find an effective way to rid the house of ants.”
noun + verb
07. be finally rid of
“I was glad to be finally rid of that old, broken car.”
08. rid the mind of
“She tried to rid her mind of all negative thoughts.”
09. rid the world of
“The organization aims to rid the world of infectious diseases.”
Real-World Examples
“He throws up, he gets rid of the meat.” “Get rid of the plastics in your bathroom by using a bar of soap instead of shower gel, and try shampoo refills or a shampoo bar.” “Instead, Sharma’s team recommended something far simpler: get rid of the school bell.” “I’ve talked about it with Brother Wayne Kramer, who passed not long ago, and Alice, and we don’t know why that is, but we can never get rid of that.” Word family
VERB
NOUN
Idioms
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/rid