Phrase guide

out of

prep · 16 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈaʊt əv/
  • /ˈaʊtə/
  • /ˈaʊɾə/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -aʊtə

1

prep

Meaning 1

Expressing motion away, literal or figurative; opposed to into.

From the inside to the outside of.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The audience came out of the theater.
  • The cat jumped out of the basket.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

prep

Meaning 2

Expressing motion away, literal or figurative; opposed to into.

So as no longer to be in a given condition or state.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I have fallen out of love with you.
  • They will soon be out of business.
  • This train will be going out of service at the next station.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

prep

Meaning 3

Expressing motion away, literal or figurative; opposed to into.

From a thing or place as a source, place of origin etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

Examples

  • He ate out of a big bowl.
  • Turns out he's some rapper out of New York called Buster Bigmouth.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

prep

Meaning 4

Expressing motion away, literal or figurative; opposed to into.

Stating the port in which a boat has been registered.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: nautical, transport

Examples

  • There's the Titanic out of Liverpool.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

prep

Meaning 5

Expressing motion away, literal or figurative; opposed to into.

Taken from among; expressing a fraction of (a larger number);

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Only three out of a thousand are born with this rare disease.
  • Out of the entire class, only Cynthia completed the work.
  • Users rated this product a 9 out of 10.
  • Only one out of three new students come(s) back.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: in

Antonyms: none provided

6

prep

Meaning 6

Expressing motion away, literal or figurative; opposed to into.

Born from a given mother.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: now chiefly horse breeding

Examples

  • She's a lovely little filly, by Big Lad, out of Damsel in Distress.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

prep

Meaning 7

Expressing position outside, literal or figurative; opposed to in.

Not within a given space, area etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • His feet rested out of the water.
  • Is your mother out of hospital?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

prep

Meaning 8

Expressing position outside, literal or figurative; opposed to in.

Not in (a given state, condition).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I'm rather out of practice right now.
  • He cannot see you because he's feeling out of spirits today.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

prep

Meaning 9

Expressing position outside, literal or figurative; opposed to in.

Without; no longer in possession of.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Sorry, we're out of bread.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

prep

Meaning 10

From a given cause or motivation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I laughed out of embarrassment.
  • She only did it out of love for him.
  • She asked the question out of mere curiosity.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

prep

Meaning 11

From a given material as means of construction.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • It's made out of mahogany.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

prep

Meaning 12

In a manner based in but not always in (a certain place); (loosely) in.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

Examples

  • They're out of Tampa and they cover the Southeast.
  • He works out of the main office.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

prep

Meaning 13

expression of how distant a person, an event or object is.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal, often

Examples

  • Five months out of the election
  • Several yards out of the ocean

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

prep

Meaning 14

To an extreme degree.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • We're gonna blow the crap out of it.
  • I could eat the heck out of some spaghetti.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

prep

Meaning 15

No longer in possession of; having no more of.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Near-synonym: fresh out of
  • Well, we're out of copy paper, so I guess there'll be no printing any printouts today!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fresh out of

Antonyms: none provided

16

adverb

Meaning 16

motivated by

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • idleness is the trait of being idle out of a reluctance to work

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English oute of, from Old English ūt of.

Across languages

Translations

76 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: خَارِج (ḵārij) — from the inside to the outside of
  • Arabic: برا (baraa) — from the inside to the outside of
  • Belarusian: з (z) — from the inside to the outside of
  • Bulgarian: от (ot) — from the inside to the outside of
  • Czech: z — from the inside to the outside of
  • Dutch: uit — from the inside to the outside of
  • Finnish: ulos — from the inside to the outside of
  • Finnish: ulkona — from the inside to the outside of
  • French: hors de — from the inside to the outside of
  • West-Frisian: út — from the inside to the outside of
  • German: aus — from the inside to the outside of
  • Ancient Greek: ἐξ (ex) — from the inside to the outside of
  • Ancient Greek: ἐκ (ek) — from the inside to the outside of
  • Hebrew: מתוך — from the inside to the outside of
  • Irish: as — from the inside to the outside of
  • Latin: ex — from the inside to the outside of
  • Latin: ec — from the inside to the outside of
  • Latin: e — from the inside to the outside of
  • Norwegian: ut av — from the inside to the outside of
  • Old English: of — from the inside to the outside of
  • Old English: ūt of — from the inside to the outside of
  • Polish: z — from the inside to the outside of
  • Polish: ze — from the inside to the outside of
  • Portuguese: para fora — from the inside to the outside of
  • Romanian: din — from the inside to the outside of
  • Russian: из (iz) — from the inside to the outside of
  • Swedish: ut ur — from the inside to the outside of
  • Swedish: ute ur — from the inside to the outside of
  • Swedish: utanför — from the inside to the outside of
  • Ukrainian: з (z) — from the inside to the outside of
  • Ukrainian: із (iz) — from the inside to the outside of
  • Ukrainian: зі (zi) — from the inside to the outside of
  • Volapük: se — from the inside to the outside of
  • Czech: z — expressing a fraction or a ratio
  • Dutch: van de — expressing a fraction or a ratio
  • French: sur — expressing a fraction or a ratio
  • German: von — expressing a fraction or a ratio
  • Old English: of — expressing a fraction or a ratio
  • Portuguese: de — expressing a fraction or a ratio
  • Russian: из (iz) — expressing a fraction or a ratio
  • Spanish: de — expressing a fraction or a ratio
  • Arabic: خَارِج (ḵārij) — not in a customary or desired state
  • German: außer — not in a customary or desired state
  • Esperanto: ekster — not within a given space
  • Dutch: door ... heen — not having anymore
  • French: à court de — not having anymore
  • Russian: без (bez) — not having anymore
  • Russian: нет (net) — not having anymore
  • Spanish: sin — not having anymore
  • Arabic: بِدَافِع (bi-dāfiʕ) — with the motivation of
  • Arabic: من باب (men baab) — with the motivation of
  • Czech: z — with the motivation of
  • Dutch: uit — with the motivation of
  • Esperanto: pro — with the motivation of
  • French: par — with the motivation of
  • German: aus — with the motivation of
  • Latin: ex — with the motivation of
  • Latin: e — with the motivation of
  • Latin: ec — with the motivation of
  • Latin: ab — with the motivation of
  • Latin: a — with the motivation of
  • Old English: for — with the motivation of
  • Portuguese: de — with the motivation of
  • Romanian: din cauză de — with the motivation of
  • Russian: руково́дствуясь (rukovódstvujasʹ) — with the motivation of
  • Russian: по причи́не (po pričíne) — with the motivation of
  • Russian: из (iz) — with the motivation of
  • Russian: и́з-за (íz-za) — with the motivation of
  • Russian: за (za) — with the motivation of
  • Russian: всле́дствие (vslédstvije) — with the motivation of
  • Spanish: por — with the motivation of
  • Ukrainian: вна́слідок (vnáslidok) — with the motivation of
  • Ukrainian: керу́ючись (kerújučysʹ) — with the motivation of
  • Ukrainian: че́рез (čérez) — with the motivation of
  • Spanish: tener su sede central en — in a manner based in but not always in
  • Spanish: con sede central en — in a manner based in but not always in