rid themselves of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "rid themselves of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the act of eliminating or getting rid of something unwanted or burdensome. Example: "In order to move forward, they needed to rid themselves of negative thoughts and self-doubt."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

The Patriots, meanwhile, improved as soon as they rid themselves of Haynesworth.

The New York Times

South Africans are still learning to rid themselves of racial prejudice and racial mistrust.

The New York Times

The Asian facilities had wanted to rid themselves of the security headaches that keeping plowshares entails.

The New Yorker

They need to rid themselves of their reputation as the party of enraged white males.

The Economist

They despair over how to rid themselves of the man they take to calling "O.U.T".

The New York Times - Books

In other words: help them rid themselves of previous performances and interpretations.

The Economist

Some of the records seem to show scouting officials trying to rid themselves of abusers.

The New York Times

In order to survive, animals had to evolve ways to rid themselves of the poison.

The New York Times - Science

Fun, however, is the point of the piece: the dancers cannot rid themselves of an envelope.

The New York Times - Arts

Whether the Mets will rid themselves of the primary culprits of their bullpen meltdown remains unclear.

The New York Times - Sports

They have also rid themselves of all US military bases and of IMF controls.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "rid themselves of", ensure the subject clearly benefits from the removal. This emphasizes the positive outcome of the action.

Common error

Avoid using "rid themselves of" with excessively abstract or conceptual subjects that don't fit the connotation of active removal. For instance, prefer "overcome" or "transcend" when referring to abstract feelings like fear or sadness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "rid themselves of" functions as a verb phrase indicating an action taken to eliminate something unwanted or burdensome. Ludwig examples illustrate its use in diverse scenarios, such as ridding oneself of debt or negative reputation.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "rid themselves of" is a versatile and commonly used expression for describing the act of eliminating something undesirable or burdensome. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and appears frequently in various contexts, particularly in news and media, science, and encyclopedias. While it maintains a generally neutral tone, careful consideration should be given to choosing the most contextually appropriate synonym to ensure clarity and precision in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

free themselves from

Emphasizes liberation and release from a constraint or burden.

eliminate

Focuses on a complete removal and eradication of something.

get rid of

A more informal way to express discarding something unwanted.

remove

Suggests taking something away, often physically, from a location or situation.

discard

Implies throwing away something considered useless or unwanted.

expel

Suggests forcing something out, often with a sense of urgency or authority.

discharge

Refers to the act of releasing or unloading something.

purge

Implies a thorough cleansing or removal of impurities or undesirable elements.

shed

Evokes the image of casting off something naturally or gradually.

extract

Focuses on carefully taking something out from a larger context or source.

FAQs

How can I use "rid themselves of" in a sentence?

You can use "rid themselves of" to describe the act of eliminating something unwanted or burdensome. For example, "The company needed to rid themselves of outdated equipment to improve efficiency."

What's a more informal way to say "rid themselves of"?

A more informal alternative to "rid themselves of" is "get rid of". For instance, "They wanted to get rid of the old furniture."

What is the difference between "free themselves from" and "rid themselves of"?

"Free themselves from" emphasizes liberation, while "rid themselves of" focuses on eliminating something unwanted. The first suggests freedom after the removal, the second emphasizes the action of removing.

Is "rid themselves of" appropriate for formal writing?

Yes, "rid themselves of" is appropriate for formal writing, especially when the context involves eliminating something tangible or undesirable. In very formal contexts, consider alternatives like "eliminate" or "remove".