remove
gb/ɹimˈuv/ us/ɹimˈuv/
A2
English
~ 900
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
Take away from a place
To take something or someone away from where it is.
Usage pattern:
to remove [something] from [somewhere]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'remove' with 'move'. 'Remove' means to take something away completely, not just change its position.
Synonyms
take away (More informal and general in meaning.)
|
extract (Implies careful or forceful removal from inside something.)
Antonyms
place (To put something in a location is the opposite of removing it.)
|
insert (To put something into a place rather than taking it out.)
Collocations
remove stains
|remove dirt
|remove a name
|remove an object
|remove from office
Themes
daily life
|work
|cleaning
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Please remove your shoes before entering the house.
- The dentist removed the tooth quickly.
- They removed his name from the list after the mistake was found.
- Security removed the protester from the building.
- She removed the books from the shelf and cleaned it.
Learner examples
- Remove your hat in the classroom.
- The teacher removed the pen from my hand.
- I will remove the old food from the fridge.
- He removed the chair from the room.
Verb
B1
action
2
Make something go away
To make something go away or not exist anymore.
Usage pattern:
to remove [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'delete' when 'remove' is more natural for physical or abstract objects.
Synonyms
eliminate (Often stronger and more final in tone.)
|
erase (Often used for removing marks, writing, or memories.)
Antonyms
add (To introduce something rather than get rid of it.)
|
create (To bring something into existence instead of removing it.)
Collocations
remove doubt
|remove obstacles
|remove fear
|remove stains
Themes
daily life
|health
|maintenance
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- This cream will help remove wrinkles.
- The government is working to remove barriers to trade.
- He removed all doubt with his clear explanation.
- We need to remove any risk of contamination.
Learner examples
- This soap can remove dirt from your hands.
- The teacher removed my fear of speaking English.
- She removed the problem by fixing the machine.
Verb
formal
B2
action
3
Dismiss from job or role
To take someone out of their job or role officially.
Usage pattern:
to remove [someone] from [position/job]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'remove' with 'fire'; 'fire' is more informal and mostly used for employment, while 'remove' is broader and more formal.
Synonyms
dismiss (More common in everyday contexts for ending employment.)
|
oust (Often used in political contexts for forcefully removing someone.)
Antonyms
appoint (To give someone a job or position instead of taking it away.)
|
hire (To employ someone rather than dismiss them.)
Collocations
remove from office
|remove a director
|remove a judge
Themes
business
|law
|politics
|work
Examples
- The president was removed from office after the scandal.
- The board voted to remove the CEO immediately.
- He was removed as team captain due to poor performance.
Learner examples
- The boss removed him from the team.
- They removed her from the job after one week.
- The school removed him as class leader.
Grammar
Dictionary form
remove
IPA
GB/ɹimˈuv/
US/ɹimˈuv/
Syllables & stress
re - move (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (move)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: remove
- 3rd Person Singular: removes
- Present Participle: removing
- Past: removed
Word family
Expressions
remove from office
1/ɹimˈuv fɹˈʌm ˈɔfɪs/
fixed phrase
formal
Officially dismiss from position
To officially make someone leave their job in government or another position of power.
Examples
- The committee voted to remove the mayor from office.
- Several members called for him to be removed from office after the scandal.
remove oneself from
1/ɹimˈuv wˌʌnsˈɛlf fɹˈʌm/
fixed phrase
Leave a situation voluntarily
To leave a place or situation by choice.
Examples
- She quietly removed herself from the conversation.
- He decided to remove himself from the project due to health reasons.