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
Over her journey from high school dropout to Fed president, Daly has encountered all kinds of roadblocks. Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2024 Directed by Deborah Riley Draper, James Brown: Say It Loud presents an unvarnished look at Brown’s uphill climb from seventh grade dropout, shoeshine boy and buck dancer to soul/funk pioneer, business mogul and civil rights activist. Gail Mitchell, Billboard, 20 Feb. 2024 Ahead of the dropout announcement, Christie was caught on a hot mic apparently criticizing his former opponents during his campaign’s livestream. Samantha-Jo Roth, Washington Examiner, 11 Jan. 2024 The tight labor market and more college dropouts have forced most organizations to rethink their hiring. Kara Dennison, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 Student loan debt for more than a million college dropouts grew by nearly $1 billion in recent years, according to a new report. Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2024 The cause of the communications dropout and the helicopter’s orientation at time of touchdown are still being investigated. IEEE Spectrum, 26 Jan. 2024 Her performance adds a hopeful edge to Karla, turning the character into something more than just a college dropout with addiction issues. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Jan. 2024 By 1950, attendance was so universal that those who weren’t in school were called dropouts. Alec MacGillis, The New Yorker, 8 Jan. 2024
Verb
Jake was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2008 after dropping out of college. Zack Sharf, Variety, 13 Mar. 2024 Over 60 bands have dropped out of scheduled performances at SXSW due to the U.S. Army's sponsorship and the inclusion of defense contractors on conference panels. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 13 Mar. 2024 Trump's only remaining opponent, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, dropped out of the race on Wednesday after winning just two primaries. Haley Bemiller, The Enquirer, 6 Mar. 2024 Despite facing calls to drop out of the race, Haley vowed to stay in the race through at least Super Tuesday. Kendrick Marshall, Charlotte Observer, 6 Mar. 2024 On the Republican side, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum have dropped out of the presidential election. Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2024 Ron DeSantis has officially dropped out of the 2024 presidential race, but will still appear on the ballot due to filing deadlines. Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2024 My hope is that Biden drops out and someone like Gretchen Whitmer steps in. David Browne, Rolling Stone, 4 Mar. 2024 The Cardinal needs one more win to clinch sole possession of first place, while the Beavers are at risk of dropping out of the top four and playing in the opening round of the Pac-12 tournament. Jeff Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024

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 19 Mar. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!