evacuation

noun

evac·​u·​a·​tion i-ˌva-kyə-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce evacuation (audio)
-kyü-ˈā-
Synonyms of evacuationnext
1
: the act or process of evacuating
2
: something evacuated or discharged

Examples of evacuation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Major rainfall flooding could prompt evacuations and rescues, the weather service said, and waterways could overflow their banks. — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 Mandatory evacuation orders, evacuation warnings and shelter-in-place orders have been issued across the region. — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 In other cases, evacuation is the only option, Gagliardini adds—that is certainly true for a glacier collapse or landslide on the scale of what happened in the Himalayas. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2026 The helicopter will also support search and rescue missions, disaster response, and medical evacuations. — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for evacuation

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of evacuation was in the 14th century

Rhymes for evacuation

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Browse Nearby Words

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evacuation hospital
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Cite this Entry

“Evacuation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/evacuation. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Medical Definition

evacuation

noun
evac·​u·​a·​tion i-ˌvak-yə-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce evacuation (audio)
1
: the act or process of evacuating
2
: something evacuated or discharged

More from Merriam-Webster on evacuation

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for evacuation

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