dislodge
gb/dɪslˈɑd͡ʒ/ us/dɪslˈɑd͡ʒ/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B2
action
1
knock something out of place
To make something that is stuck move out of its place.
Usage pattern:
dislodge [something] (from [something])
Common mistake:
Often confused with remove (general). Dislodge usually implies the thing was stuck or firmly in place and is moved by force or impact.
Synonyms
loosen (emphasizes making it less firmly fixed, not necessarily removing it.)
|
knock loose (highlights impact or a sudden force.)
|
shift (can be smaller movement; dislodge implies it was firmly set.)
Antonyms
secure (means to fasten firmly in place.)
|
wedge (means to force something tightly into a space.)
Collocations
dislodge a stone
|dislodge a piece of food
|dislodge debris
|dislodge a stuck object
|dislodge a plug
|dislodge a blockage
|dislodge dirt
|dislodge a nail
|dislodge a splinter
|dislodge something from a crack
Themes
daily_life
|objects
|movement
|home
Examples
- A strong gust of wind dislodged several roof tiles.
- He coughed hard to dislodge the piece of food stuck in his throat.
- Tap the filter gently to dislodge any trapped debris.
Learner examples
- The rock was dislodged from the wall.
- Drink some water to dislodge the food.
Verb
C1
action
2
force someone out of a position
To make someone leave a job or position, often by force or strong competition.
Usage pattern:
dislodge [someone] (from [position/place])
Common mistake:
Not the same as dismiss (fired by an employer) or evict (from housing). Dislodge emphasizes being pushed out from an established position.
Synonyms
unseat (common in elections; specifically removing from an elected position.)
|
oust (often stronger and more sudden; can suggest force or scandal.)
|
remove (more general; less emphasis on difficulty or resistance.)
Antonyms
install (to put someone into a position or office.)
|
reinstate (to restore someone to a former position.)
Collocations
dislodge a leader
|dislodge a government
|dislodge an incumbent
|dislodge someone from power
|dislodge someone from office
|dislodge a regime
|dislodge a rival
|dislodge the president
|dislodge the opposition
|dislodge an entrenched interest
Themes
politics
|business
|work
|conflict
Examples
- The challenger failed to dislodge the long-serving mayor.
- The coup dislodged the president from power within days.
- It took years of organizing to dislodge the party from office.
Learner examples
- She tried to dislodge him from his position.
- The new party dislodged the old leaders.
Verb
C1
action
3
remove from first place
To become number one instead of someone else.
Usage pattern:
dislodge [someone/something] from [top/first place]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse defeat. Dislodge focuses on replacing someone in a top position that they have held for a while.
Synonyms
dethrone (dramatic; suggests taking a ‘king-like’ top position.)
|
topple (emphasizes bringing down from a high position.)
|
overtake (focuses on passing; doesn’t always imply the other was firmly established.)
Antonyms
retain (to keep the top position.)
|
hold (to continue to have a position or title.)
Collocations
dislodge from the top spot
|dislodge from first place
|dislodge a bestseller
|dislodge the market leader
|dislodge the champion
|dislodge a record
|dislodge the front-runner
|dislodge the top-ranked team
Themes
sports
|business
|media
|numbers
Examples
- The new model finally dislodged the longtime market leader.
- No team has been able to dislodge them from first place all season.
- A romantic comedy dislodged the thriller from the top of the box office.
Learner examples
- A new song dislodged it from number one.
Verb
C1
action
4
knock a tooth or bone loose
To knock a tooth or bone out of its normal place.
Usage pattern:
dislodge [a tooth/bone] (from [its position])
Common mistake:
Not the same as break. Dislodge means it is moved out of position; it may or may not be broken.
Synonyms
displace (common in medical contexts; often more clinical.)
|
knock out (informal; often implies the tooth fully comes out.)
Antonyms
set (to put a bone back into the correct position.)
Collocations
dislodge a tooth
|dislodge a filling
|dislodge a jaw
|dislodge a shoulder
|dislodge a kneecap
|dislodge a bone
|badly dislodged
|partially dislodged
Themes
health
|body
|accidents
Examples
- The fall dislodged one of his front teeth.
- The impact dislodged her shoulder, and she had to go to the ER.
- A hard hit can dislodge a dental filling.
Learner examples
- He fell and dislodged a tooth.
Grammar
Dictionary form
dislodge
IPA
GB/dɪslˈɑd͡ʒ/
US/dɪslˈɑd͡ʒ/
Syllables & stress
dis - lodge (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (lodge)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: dislodge
- 3rd Person Singular: dislodges
- Present Participle: dislodging
- Past: dislodged
Word family
Expressions
dislodge [someone] from office
1/dɪslˈɑd͡ʒ sˈʌmwˌʌn fɹˈʌm ˈɔfɪs/
fixed phrase
remove an official from office
To make an official lose their job in government.
Examples
- No challenger has dislodged her from office in two decades.
- The investigation threatened to dislodge the governor from office.
- They launched a campaign to dislodge him from office.
dislodge [someone] from power
1/dɪslˈɑd͡ʒ sˈʌmwˌʌn fɹˈʌm pˈaʊɚ/
fixed phrase
remove a leader from power
To make a leader stop being in control.
Examples
- The opposition is trying to dislodge the ruling party from power.
- Years of protests eventually dislodged the dictator from power.
- The scandal helped dislodge him from power.
dislodge the ball
1/dɪslˈɑd͡ʒ ðə bˈɔl/
fixed phrase
knock the ball loose
To hit the ball so it comes loose.
Examples
- The defender hit him hard and dislodged the ball.
- A perfectly timed tackle dislodged the ball just before the goal line.
- They struggled to dislodge the ball from his grip.