exit

1 of 3

script annotation

ex·​it ˈeg-zət  ˈek-sət 

—used as a stage direction to specify who goes off stage

exit

2 of 3

noun

1

: a departure from a stage

2

a

: the act of going out or away

made an early exit

b

: death

3

: a way out of an enclosed place or space

4

: one of the designated points of departure from an expressway

exitless adjective

exit

3 of 3

verb

exited; exiting; exits

intransitive verb

1

: to go out or away : depart

2

: die

transitive verb

1

: leave sense 3a

2

: to cause (a computer program or routine) to cease running

Synonyms

Noun

• egress
• issue
• outlet

Verb

• bail
• bail out
• begone
• book [slang]
• bug off
• bug out
• bugger off [British slang]
• buzz (off)
• clear off [chiefly British]
• clear out
• cut out
• depart
• dig out
• get
• get off
• go
• go off
• move
• pack (up or off)
• part
• peel off
• pike (out or off)
• pull out
• push off
• push on
• quit
• run along
• sally (forth)
• scarper [British]
• shove (off)
• step (along)
• take off
• vamoose
• walk out

Examples of exit in a Sentence

Noun

Use the emergency exit in case of fire.

There are 12 exits in the building.

We can't get out this way: the sign says “No Exit.”

Verb

The team exited the tournament early.

Save your work and then exit the program.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Meanwhile, Condé Nast France also saw the exit of Pierre M’Pelé, whose departure from GQ France after a three-year tenure as head of editorial content was announced in September. —Lily Templeton, WWD, 4 Dec. 2024

Biden deserves credit for the courageous step of ending the Afghanistan war, although the shambles of the final 2021 withdrawal, combined with the United States’ failure to honor its commitments to Afghan allies seeking a safe exit, is an enduring shame. —Nancy Okail, Foreign Affairs, 3 Dec. 2024

Verb

Line judge Carl Johnson exited the Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers matchup after being hit by a Packers player in the third quarter on Thursday Night Football. —Valentina Martinez, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024

Police in hot pursuit exited their vehicles with their weapons drawn and ordered Ferguson and his girlfriend to get out of the vehicle with their hands up. —Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 6 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Script annotation

borrowed from Latin, third person singular present indicative of exeō, exīre "to come or go out," from ex- ex- entry 1 + īre "to go" — more at issue entry 1

Noun

in part derivative of exit entry 1 or exit entry 3, in part borrowed from Latin exitus "act of going out, departure, means of departure, way out, final point, conclusion," from exi-, variant stem of exīre "to come or go out" (from ex- ex- entry 1 + īre "to go") + -tus, suffix of action nouns — more at issue entry 1

Verb

derivative of exit entry 1 or exit entry 2

First Known Use

Script Annotation

circa 1548, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1607, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing exit

• exit poll
• exit strategy
• exit visa
• make a quick exit

Kids Definition

exit

1 of 3

ex·​it ˈeg-zət  ˈek-sət 

—used as a stage direction to indicate who goes off the stage

exit

2 of 3 noun

1

: a departure from a stage

2

: the act of going out or away

3

: a way to go out of a place

exit

3 of 3 verb

: to go out : leave, depart

Etymology

from Latin exit "he or she goes out," from exire "to go out," from ex- "out of, from" and ire "to go" — related to issue, itinerary