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strip away

B2 neutral separable transitive
In simple words

To peel off or remove the outside of something to see what is really inside or underneath.

Literal meaning: To strip (remove) a layer by pulling it away from the surface.

Meanings

1 B1 neutral

To physically remove layers or coverings from a surface.

"Workers stripped away the old wallpaper to reveal the original brickwork."

Grammar: separable
2 B2 idiomatic neutral

To remove everything non-essential in order to reveal the true nature of something.

"Strip away all the technical jargon and the argument is actually very simple."

Grammar: separable
3 C1 idiomatic formal

To remove rights, powers, or qualities from a person or institution.

"The new laws stripped away many of the protections that workers had fought for."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Used literally for removing physical layers and figuratively for removing false pretenses, complexity, or superficial elements to reveal the truth. Common in journalistic, literary, and philosophical contexts.

Commonly used with

layers pretense complexity facade rights bark meaning

Forms

Base
strip away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
strips away
he/she/it
Past simple
striped away
yesterday
Past participle
striped away
have + pp
-ing form
striping away
continuous

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Synonyms

peel away remove expose lay bare pare away reduce

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