give out

verb

gave out; given out; giving out; gives out
Synonyms of give outnext

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
2
: to become exhausted : collapse

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The same goes for bite-sized versions of certain perfumes, usually marketed as bonus gifts attached to larger purchases or given out for free inside brick-and-mortar beauty stores. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026 Brandi Carlile will be the recipient of the Los Angeles Press Club‘s annual Visionary Award for Humanitarian Work, to be given out at the National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards Gala in December, the organization has announced. — Chris Willman, Variety, 21 Oct. 2026 Keep your information private Never give out your social security number, bank information, or passwords to anyone over the phone. — Michelle Richardson, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026 That reddish fruit on a stick seemed to pale in comparison to the loads of candy that other houses were giving out. — Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for give out

Word History

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of give out was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Give out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/give%20out. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

give out

verb
1
2
: to become exhausted : collapse
3
4
: to pass out : issue
give out the new books
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster