Rout means a complete and overwhelming defeat, especially in a battle or competition, where the losing side is so thoroughly beaten that they flee in disorder. When an army suffers a rout, soldiers do not just lose. They scatter and run away in confusion and panic. The word captures that moment when organized resistance collapses entirely.

In sports, a team might rout their opponents 42-0, winning so decisively that the game stops being competitive. A chess player could rout an opponent, winning quickly and convincingly. The word suggests domination rather than a close contest.

Rout can also mean to drive someone out or force them to leave. A parent might rout a teenager out of bed on Saturday morning, or rout them out of their room for family dinner. You might rout out old papers from a messy desk drawer, digging through to find what you need.

As a verb, you can also rout around or rout about, meaning to search energetically through something, like rummaging around in your backpack for a lost pencil.