give out

verb

gave out; given out; giving out; gives out

transitive verb

1

a

: declare, publish

… giving out that the doctor … required a few days of complete rest.

—Charles Dickens

b

: to read aloud the words of (a hymn or psalm) for congregational singing

2

: emit

gave out a constant hum

3

: issue

gave out new uniforms

intransitive verb

1

: break down, fail

2

: to become exhausted : collapse

Synonyms of give out

• announce
• publish
• declare
• run with
• proclaim
• post
• advertise

Examples of give out in a Sentence

that's information that I'm not prepared to give out

this heater gives out a funny smell sometimes

Recent Examples on the Web

The juvenile managed to drive the flaming car back onto the freeway, driving again the wrong direction before the car gave out near the Auburn Boulevard on-ramp. —Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 27 Apr. 2026

Runner Ajay Haridasse, a local college student, was only about a thousand feet from the finish line on Boylston Street when his legs just gave out. —Scott Simon, NPR, 25 Apr. 2026

His elbow gave out that August, requiring his second Tommy John surgery. —ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026

Businesses owners who knew the victims also gave out food to people impacted. —Doug Williams, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for give out

• roundabout
• runabout
• sauerkraut
• thereabout
• turnabout
• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout

Kids Definition

give out

verb

1

: emit sense 1

2

: to become exhausted : collapse

3

: break down sense 1

4

: to pass out : issue

give out the new books