dropout

1 of 2

noun

drop·​out ˈdräp-ˌau̇t How to pronounce dropout (audio)
1
a
: one who drops out of school
b
: one who drops out of conventional society
c
: one who abandons an attempt, activity, or chosen path
a corporate dropout
2
: a momentary defect on a magnetic tape or disk caused by a temporary loss of signal

drop out

2 of 2

verb

dropped out; dropping out; drops out

intransitive verb

: to withdraw from participation or membership : quit
especially : to withdraw from conventional society

Examples of dropout in a Sentence

Noun The program is designed for dropouts who wish to get high school equivalency certificates.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
This comes in addition to the district’s second-lowest dropout rates in years. Ikram Mohamed, Chicago Tribune, 17 Oct. 2024 Nevada’s Latin Chamber of Commerce started it three decades ago to get more Latinos in college and decrease the high school dropout rate. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024
Verb
Key Background Harris became the nominee after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race on July 21, amid an intraparty revolt in the wake of his debate performance—shifting Democrats’ fortunes dramatically. Sara Dorn, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024 Since the pandemic, there has been a surge in the number of people dropping out of the workforce due to ill health, creating skill shortages in many sectors and limiting how quickly the economy can grow without stoking inflation. Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dropout 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dropout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1930, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1875, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dropout was in 1875

Dictionary Entries Near dropout

Cite this Entry

“Dropout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dropout. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

dropout

1 of 2 noun
drop·​out ˈdräp-ˌau̇t How to pronounce dropout (audio)
: a person who drops out especially from a school or a training program

drop out

2 of 2 verb
: to withdraw from taking part or membership : quit
dropped out of school
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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