1 B1 neutral
To clean or clear something by pushing water or liquid through it.
"You should flush out the water pipes before drinking from them after a long holiday."
separable
flush out
B1 neutral separable transitive
To clean something by pushing water through it; or to force a person, animal, or information out of hiding.
In plain English
Either wash something clean with lots of water, or force someone hiding to come out.
What does "flush out" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
To force a person, animal, or thing out of a hiding place or concealed position.
"The soldiers flushed out the remaining enemy fighters from the abandoned building."
“
We've got to flush out the terrorists before they strike again.
— George W. Bush, post-9/11 press remarks, 2001 (widely reported paraphrase)
separable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
To bring hidden information, problems, or facts to light.
"The investigation was designed to flush out any corruption within the department."
separable
4 B1 neutral
To remove toxins or impurities from the body by consuming large amounts of liquid.
"Drink plenty of water to flush out any toxins after the infection."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To push something out with a rush or flow of water — as with a toilet flush.
Actually means
Either wash something clean with lots of water, or force someone hiding to come out.
Usage tip
Has both a literal (cleaning/rinsing) and a figurative (forcing out of hiding) sense. The figurative sense is common in military, police, journalistic, and political language. In medical contexts, 'flush out' refers to clearing toxins from the body by drinking fluids.
Words that pair with "flush out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
toxins system pipes suspect information criminal details
How to conjugate "flush out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
flush out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
flushes out
he/she/it
Past simple
flushed out
yesterday
Past participle
flushed out
have + pp
-ing form
flushing out
continuous
Hear "flush out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "flush out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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