1 B1 idiomatic informal
To leave or go away, used as a rude or angry command to tell someone to leave.
"The shopkeeper told the teenagers to clear off or he'd call the police."
inseparable
clear off
B1 informal separable transitive/intransitive
To go away or leave a place, often used as a rude command; also to remove everything from a surface.
In plain English
To go away (rude!); or to take all the stuff off a surface.
What does "clear off" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
To remove everything from a surface, leaving it empty and clear.
"She cleared off her desk before leaving the office for the last time."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To clean or push things off a surface, creating a clear space.
Actually means
To go away (rude!); or to take all the stuff off a surface.
Usage tip
As a command ('Clear off!'), this is rude and dismissive — used when someone is very annoyed. More common in British English. The literal sense of clearing a surface is neutral and common. Do not use the dismissal sense in polite conversation.
Words that pair with "clear off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
table desk surface property premises land
How to conjugate "clear off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
clear off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
clears off
he/she/it
Past simple
cleared off
yesterday
Past participle
cleared off
have + pp
-ing form
clearing off
continuous
Hear "clear off" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "clear off" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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