# rid

/ˈɹɪd/ (US) · /ɹˈɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/rid
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to remove something unwanted

verb · CEFR B2

to make a person or place free from something annoying or unwanted.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. to be free of something

adjective · CEFR B2

to be finished with or free from something that was a problem.

For teachers: 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'.

### 3. to clear land

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Technical

to clear trees or bushes from a piece of land.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- I need to rid the house of these ants.
- The new manager implemented several strict policies to rid the office of its toxic work culture.
- The government launched a comprehensive initiative to rid the coastal waters of invasive species that were threatening the local fishing industry's sustainability.

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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.