Irregular verbs  Regular verbs

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rid, rids, ridding

Synonyms: clear, free, purge, eliminate, remove

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Antonyms: acquire, keep, hold, retain, burden

The Verb Rid – Definition, Usage, and Clarification


The verb rid is an irregular verb meaning to make a person, place, or thing free of something unwanted. It is almost always used as part of a phrasal construction, most commonly 'get rid of.'


VERB FORMS


■ Base Form: rid
■ Past Simple: rid
■ Past Participle: rid
■ Present Participle/Gerund: ridding


USAGE AND CONTEXT


While the verb itself exists, its usage is tied to specific common phrases.


1. Removing Unwanted Things
This is the core meaning, used for both physical objects and abstract problems.


■ Possessions: 'I need to get rid of all this old clutter in the garage.'
■ Problems: 'The new mayor promised to rid the city of corruption.'
■ People (Informal): 'He tried to get rid of the persistent salesperson.'


ℹ IMPORTANT: COMMON PHRASES


■ 'Get rid of': This is by far the most common use of the verb. It is a versatile phrasal verb that means to dispose of, discard, or free oneself from something. This phrase should be your default choice in most situations.


■ 'Be rid of': This phrase describes the state of being free from something undesirable. Example: 'I'm so glad to be rid of that old car and its constant repairs.'


Identical Verb Forms: A key feature is that the base form, past simple, and past participle are all 'rid.'
■ Present: 'I want to rid my garden of weeds.'
■ Past: 'Last year, I rid my garden of weeds.' 
■ Perfect: 'I have finally rid my garden of weeds.'