1 B1 neutral
To remove a substance from a place by applying suction.
"The doctor used a syringe to suck out the venom from the wound."
separable
suck out
B1 neutral separable transitive
To remove liquid, air, or another substance from a place by using suction.
In plain English
Pull something out of a place using a sucking force.
What does "suck out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
(Figurative) To drain someone or something of energy, enthusiasm, or positivity.
"That toxic work environment sucked all the creativity out of the team."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To suck (draw by suction) something out of a container or body — physically extracting it through a sucking motion.
Actually means
Pull something out of a place using a sucking force.
Usage tip
Used literally in medical, mechanical, and everyday contexts. Also used figuratively to mean draining energy, life, or positivity from someone or something. The figurative use is very common in informal speech.
Words that pair with "suck out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
venom poison air moisture energy life
How to conjugate "suck out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
suck out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
sucks out
he/she/it
Past simple
sucked out
yesterday
Past participle
sucked out
have + pp
-ing form
sucking out
continuous
Hear "suck out" in the wild
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