out

1 of 6

adverb

ˈau̇t 

1

a(1)

: in a direction away from the inside or center

went out into the garden

(2)

: outside

it's raining out

b

: from among others

c

: away from the shore

d

: away from home or work

out to lunch

e

: away from a particular place

2

a

: so as to be missing or displaced from the usual or proper place

left a word out

threw his shoulder out

b

: into the possession or control of another

lend out money

c

: into a state of loss or defeat

was voted out

d

: into a state of vexation

they do not mark me, and that brings me out

—William Shakespeare

e

: into groups or shares

sorted out her notes

parceled out the farm

3

a

: to the point of depletion, extinction, or exhaustion

the food ran out

turn the light out

all tuckered out

b

: to completion or satisfaction

hear me out

work the problem out

c

: to the full or a great extent or degree

all decked out

stretched out on the floor

4

a

: in or into the open

the sun came out

b

: out loud

cried out

c

: in or into public circulation

the evening paper isn't out yet

hand out pamphlets

the library book is still out

5

a

: at an end

before the day is out

b

: in or into an insensible or unconscious state

she was out cold

c

: in or into a useless state

landed the plane with one engine out

d

: so as to end the offensive turn of another player, a side, or oneself in baseball

threw him out

fly out

6

—used on a two-way radio circuit to indicate that a message is complete and no reply is expected

out

2 of 6

verb

outed; outing; outs

1

transitive : to identify (someone) publicly as being such secretly

Ever feel as if your achievements are a fluke or that you're one conversation away from being outed as a fraud?

—Gillian Fox

Foster … was the man who outed the journalist Joe Klein as the author of the novel "Primary Colors."

—Walter Kirn

especially : to reveal the covert sexual orientation or gender identity of (someone)

outed her to her coworkers

In our case, a cross-section of writers and editors—male and female, gay and straight—agreed that it would be inappropriate to "out" this Pentagon official.

—Richard Goldstein

2

intransitive : to become publicly known

the truth will out

Murder will out.

3

transitive : to put out : to eject (someone) from a place, office, or possession : expel

During the suppression, we privately kept outed vicars as chaplains and attended secret Anglican services …

—Rose Macaulay

out

3 of 6

preposition

—used as a function word to indicate an outward movement

ran out the door

looked out the window

out

4 of 6

adjective

1

a

: situated outside : external

b

: out-of-bounds

2

: situated at a distance : outlying

the out islands

3

: not being in power

4

: absent

5

: removed by the defense from play as a batter or base runner in a baseball inning

two men out

6

: directed outward or serving to direct something outward

the out basket

7

: not being in vogue or fashion

8

: not to be considered : out of the question

9

: determined sense 1

was out to get revenge

10

: engaged in or attempting a particular activity

won on his first time out

11

: having one's LGBTQ sexual orientation or gender identity publicly known

an out trans person

wasn't out during college

out

5 of 6

noun

1

: outside

2

: one who is out of office or power or on the outside

a matter of outs versus ins

3

a

: an act or instance of putting a player out or of being put out in baseball

b

: a player that is put out

4

: a way of escaping from an embarrassing or difficult situation

out-

6 of 6

prefix

: in a manner that exceeds or surpasses and sometimes overpowers or defeats

outmaneuver

Phrases

on the outs

: on unfriendly terms : at variance

Synonyms

Adverb

• alfresco
• outdoors
• outside

Verb

• break
• circulate
• come out
• get about
• get around
• get out
• get round
• leak (out)
• spread

Adjective

• bent (on or upon)
• bound
• decisive
• determined
• do-or-die
• firm
• hell-bent (on or upon)
• intent
• purposeful
• resolute
• resolved
• set
• single-minded

Noun

• avoidance
• cop-out
• dodging
• ducking
• eluding
• elusion
• escape
• eschewal
• eschewing
• evasion
• shaking
• shunning

Examples of out in a Sentence

Adverb

He went out to the garden.

He looked out at the snow.

She poured the tea out.

The girl stuck her tongue out.

His shirttail was hanging out.

I heard a noise in the bushes and out jumped a cat!

He waited out in the hall.

I cleaned my car inside and out.

A car pulled up and two men got out.

He grabbed his coat and out he went.

Verb

a gay actor who was outed in a magazine article

He is threatening to out other players who have used steroids.

Adjective

he's out to get even with the guy who beat him last time around

half the staff is out with the flu

Noun

The play resulted in an out.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, he hit a home run to win the game.

He changed the wording of the contract to give himself an out.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

The 'Morning Show' star's latest children’s book, 'Busy Betty & the Perfect Christmas Present', is out now Comments Reese Witherspoon always planned to write a book for kids for the holidays. —Julie Jordan, People.com, 8 Dec. 2024

The jury is still out on whether Gabriel Macht’s suave lawyer is officially returning. —Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 8 Dec. 2024

Verb

Egerton’s New York City outing with Bennet precedes the release of his latest movie: Carry-On, debuting on Netflix on Dec. 13. —Jack Smart, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024

Things take a twist when her partner, also an agent, gets outed by Russian intelligence and vanishes mysteriously. —Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 5 Dec. 2024

Preposition

Sam Williams tore his ACL before the season began, and DeMarcus Lawrence still remains out after suffering a foot injury earlier this season. —Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024

Kiley Reid, Roddy Doyle and others round out 2025 judges This is the first time the Booker has had three winning or nominated authors on its panel, according to the Foundation. —Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024

Adjective

Good Fortune, my last one, was being in a serious relationship, and getting engaged, and married, and taking those next steps of being an out person, or dealing with that taste of adulthood. —Them, 11 Dec. 2024

Earlier this year in the county, moderate Democrats in Calexico, an almost entirely Latino border city, led a successful recall campaign against two young, progressive members of the City Council, including its first out transgender member, Raúl Ureña, who accused opponents of transphobia. —Anabel Sosa, Los Angeles Times, 8 Dec. 2024

Noun

There has been intense speculation about the long-term viability of the relationship, given the ambitions and personalities of the two men, with many people on social media predicting an eventual falling-out. —David Ingram, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024

The final six outs were stressful, with Blake Treinen taking care of the eighth, and — in another unthinkable turn — starting pitcher Walker Buehler emerging for the save in the ninth. —Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adverb and Prefix

Middle English, from Old English ūt; akin to Old High German ūz out, Greek hysteros later, Sanskrit ud up, out

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1717, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

out

1 of 6 adverb

ˈau̇t 

1

a

: in a direction away from the inside, center, or surface

look out of a window

b

: outdoors entry 1

it's raining out

c

: out-of-bounds

2

: from among others

picked out a hat

3

: away from home, business, or the usual or proper place

out to lunch

left a word out

4

: into a state of loss or defeat

was voted out of office

5

: into the possession or control of another

lent out money

6

: into groups or shares

sorted out her notes

7

a

: so as to be exhausted, completed, or discontinued

the food ran out

the light burned out

b

: at an end

before the week is out

8

a

: in or into the open

the sun came out

b

: aloud

cried out

9

a

: to completion or satisfaction

work the problem out

b

: to the full or a great extent or degree

stretched out on the floor

all decked out

10

: so as to put out or be put out in baseball

the catcher threw the runner out

grounded out to shortstop

out

2 of 6 verb

: to become known

the truth will out

out

3 of 6 preposition

(ˌ)au̇t

—used to indicate an outward movement

ran out the door

looked out the window

out

4 of 6 adjective

ˈau̇t

1

a

: located outside or at a distance

the out islands

b

: out-of-bounds

2

: not being in power

the out party

3

: not allowed to continue batting, to occupy a base, or to score in baseball

the runner was out

4

: directed outward or directing something outward

put the letter in the out basket

5

: absent entry 1 sense 1, missing

a basket with its bottom out

6

: no longer in fashion

that style of pants is definitely out

7

: not to be considered

that choice was out as far as we were concerned

8

: determined sense 1

was out to get revenge

9

: engaged in or attempting a particular activity

won on his first time out

out

5 of 6 noun

ˈau̇t

1

: one who is out of power

2

a

: the putting out of a batter or base runner in baseball

b

: a player who has been put out

3

: a way of escaping from an embarrassing situation or a difficulty

out-

6 of 6 prefix

: in a manner that goes beyond

outmaneuver

Etymology

Prefix

derived from out (adverb)