to be no longer affected by someone or something that is annoying, unpleasant, or not wanted
Just give him the money and you can be rid of him.
be glad to be rid of someone/something:
I’m glad to be rid of all this extrawork.
be well rid of someone/something (=be in a much better position without someone or something):
Most people would say you were well rid of him.
Synonyms and related words
To not limit something, or to not be limited
loosen
leave someone to their own devices
be at liberty to do something
get rid of
1
to throw away, give away, or sell a possession that you no longer want or need
We’re moving, so we have to get rid of a lot of our furniture.
Synonyms and related words
To get rid of something or someone
replace
throw away
shed
2
to take action that stops something annoying, unpleasant, or not wanted from affecting you
a fasteffective way to get rid of weeds
I wish I could get rid of this cold.
Synonyms and related words
To get rid of something or someone
replace
throw away
shed
3
to make someone go away because they are annoying, unpleasant, or not wanted
I’m sure he knew we were trying to get rid of him!
Synonyms and related words
To force someone to leave a place
drive out
banish
send away
Synonyms and related words
To end a friendship or relationship
defriend
unfriend
break off
rid
adjective
US /rɪd/
Other entries for this word
ridverb
phrases
be rid of
1
to be no longer affected by someone or something that is annoying, unpleasant, or not wanted
Just give him the money and you can be rid of him.
be glad to be rid of someone/something:
I’m glad to be rid of so much extrawork.
be well rid of someone/something (=be in a much better position without someone or something):
Most people would say you were well rid of him.
Synonyms and related words
To not limit something, or to not be limited
loosen
leave someone to their own devices
be at liberty to do something
get rid of
1
to throw away, give away, or sell a possession that you no longer want or need
We’re moving, so we have to get rid of a lot of our furniture.
Synonyms and related words
To get rid of something or someone
replace
throw away
shed
2
to take action that stops something annoying, unpleasant, or not wanted from affecting you
a fasteffective way to get rid of weeds
I wish I could get rid of this cold.
Synonyms and related words
To get rid of something or someone
replace
throw away
shed
3
to make someone go away because they are annoying, unpleasant, or not wanted
I’m sure he knew we were trying to get rid of him!
Synonyms and related words
To force someone to leave a place
ethnic cleansing
social cleansing
drive out
Synonyms and related words
To end a friendship or relationship
defriend
unfriend
break off
rid
verb
UK /rɪd/
Other entries for this word
ridadjective
Word Forms
present tense
I/you/we/they
rid
he/she/it
rids
present participle
ridding
past tense
rid
past participle
rid
phrasal verb
rid of
transitive
Word Forms
present tense
I/you/we/they
rid of
he/she/it
rids of
present participle
ridding of
past tense
rid of
past participle
rid of
1
(rid someone/something of someone/something) to stop a person or thing being affected by something annoying, unpleasant, or harmful by removing it
a movement to rid the world of nuclearweapons
rid yourself of someone/something:
You’d do well to rid yourself of those romanticnotions.
Synonyms and related words
To prevent something from happening
prevent
stop
avoid
rid
verb
US /rɪd/
Other entries for this word
ridadjective
Word Forms
present tense
I/you/we/they
rid
he/she/it
rids
present participle
ridding
past tense
rid
past participle
rid
phrasal verb
rid of
transitive
Word Forms
present tense
I/you/we/they
rid of
he/she/it
rids of
present participle
ridding of
past tense
rid of
past participle
rid of
1
(rid someone/something of someone/something) to stop a person or thing from being affected by something annoying, unpleasant, or harmful by removing it
a movement to rid the world of nuclearweapons
rid yourself of someone/something:
You’d do well to rid yourself of those romanticnotions.