evacuate the premises

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "evacuate the premises" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in emergency situations to instruct people to leave a building or area for safety reasons. Example: "In case of a fire alarm, please evacuate the premises immediately and proceed to the designated assembly point."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

Important: If your unit has three red keys on the back (see diagram, p. 7), carefully lay it down and evacuate the premises.

The New Yorker

She refused to identify the loan modification lawyer, but said that if she and her mother had been told to evacuate the premises, she would have told the residents and their families.

The New York Times

The Finance Ministry issued a statement on Friday, calling on employees "to evacuate the premises of the former ERT to allow for the unhindered and immediate implementation of the Council of State's decision," referring to a ruling by a top Greek court that upheld the closing but called for the broadcaster's signal to be restored immediately.

The New York Times

But Lieutenant McLaughlin was also at the Pentagon on 9/11, and his diary includes his recollection of what happened there — the thuds he heard when the plane hit the building, his effort to get through its smoke-filled corridors to find his brother, who also worked there, and the flashing emergency lights and emergency warning to evacuate the premises immediately.

The New York Times

"This court finds that at the time the Salvation Army made the decision to sell the residences and ordered the tenants to evacuate the premises within six months, the primary use of the buildings was charitable," Justice Tingling wrote in his Aug. 20 decision.

The New York Times

1937 Court Orders Strikers Out DETROIT — The delicate and long-evaded question of whether striking employees have the right to occupy their employers' property came squarely to a head this morning [March 15] when Circuit Judge Allan Campbell granted the injunction of the Chrysler Corporation and ordered 6,000 sit-down strikers in the company's nine plants to evacuate the premises by 9 30 a.m.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

Matthew Chance, a CNN correspondent, reported on Twitter two hours ago that most of the Libyan government officials who had taken refuge at the Rixos Hotel in Tripoli, where foreign journalists have been living as guests (or prisoners) of the Qaddafi regime for months have now evacuated the premises.

The New York Times

Around 500 workers were evacuated from the premises.

The Guardian - Business

Mr. Voulgarakis said the more than 500 executives and business guests had been evacuated from the premises for eight hours before experts restored a malfunctioned gas tap at the complex.

The New York Times

So they evacuate the building.

The New York Times

The crews wanted to evacuate the Marines.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When instructing people to leave a building during an emergency, use "evacuate the premises" to ensure clear and immediate understanding. Provide clear directions to designated safe zones.

Common error

Avoid using "evacuate the premises" in non-emergency situations. Overusing formal language in casual contexts can sound unnatural or even alarming. Consider alternatives like "leave the area" or "exit the building" for less critical scenarios.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "evacuate the premises" functions as an imperative, instructing individuals to leave a specific location. Ludwig provides examples primarily from news sources, indicating its common use in reporting emergency situations and official directives. It is a directive call to action.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Academia

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "evacuate the premises" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase, especially in news and media contexts, to instruct the urgent departure from a location due to safety concerns. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. While alternatives like "leave the premises immediately" or "vacate the property" exist, "evacuate the premises" carries a formal tone suitable for emergency announcements and official directives. Use it judiciously, reserving it for situations where immediate action is required. Remember, clarity and directness are crucial when conveying safety instructions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Leave the premises immediately

This alternative emphasizes the urgency of leaving.

Vacate the property

Replaces "premises" with "property", offering a slightly different legal connotation.

Clear the building

Uses a more concise and direct command.

Exit the building now

Highlights the building as the location to leave.

Abandon the location

Suggests a more permanent or urgent departure.

Remove yourselves from the building

A more formal and direct way to express the same idea.

Withdraw from the area

Focuses on leaving a specific area, which might be larger than just a building.

Clear out of the building

A slightly more informal way to say evacuate.

Get out of the building

Very direct and informal, suitable for urgent situations.

Egress from the structure

A formal and technical term for leaving a building, emphasizing the act of exiting.

FAQs

How to use "evacuate the premises" in a sentence?

Use "evacuate the premises" to issue a directive to leave a location, often due to an emergency. For example, "Due to a gas leak, we must "evacuate the premises" immediately."

What can I say instead of "evacuate the premises"?

You can use alternatives like "leave the premises immediately", "vacate the property", or "clear the building" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use "evacuate the premises"?

"Evacuate the premises" is appropriate in situations requiring immediate and orderly departure from a location due to safety concerns, such as fire, gas leaks, or security threats.

What is the difference between "evacuate the premises" and "leave the building"?

"Evacuate the premises" is a more formal and urgent command, usually implying a dangerous situation. "Leave the building" is a more general instruction and can be used in less critical situations. You might "evacuate the premises" during a fire drill, but you might just "leave the building" at the end of the workday.