1 C1 neutral
To create a space or opening by chopping away surrounding material
"The explorers chopped out a small clearing in the dense jungle so they could make camp."
separable
chop out
C1 neutral separable transitive
To remove something from a larger whole by chopping, or to clear a space by cutting
In plain English
To cut something out of a bigger thing by hitting it hard, or to clear a path by cutting things away
What does "chop out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 neutral
To remove a portion of material by chopping, such as in woodworking or butchery
"The butcher chopped out the bone and handed me the meat."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To chop (strike repeatedly) so that something comes out of its surroundings
Actually means
To cut something out of a bigger thing by hitting it hard, or to clear a path by cutting things away
Usage tip
Relatively rare and mostly used in physical or outdoor contexts — e.g. clearing vegetation, working with wood, or butchery. Less common than 'cut out' or 'carve out'. Occasionally used figuratively to mean removing a section of text.
Words that pair with "chop out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
path section piece undergrowth cavity route
How to conjugate "chop out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
chop out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
chops out
he/she/it
Past simple
choped out
yesterday
Past participle
choped out
have + pp
-ing form
choping out
continuous
Hear "chop out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "chop out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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