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

• advertise
• announce
• annunciate
• blare
• blaze
• blazon
• broadcast
• declare
• enunciate
• flash
• herald
• placard
• post
• proclaim
• promulgate
• publicize
• publish
• release
• sound
• trumpet

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

Kollar-Kotelly said this provision is in conflict with the 1993 National Voter Registration Act, which mandates those agencies give out voter registration forms, unless an applicant opts out. —Jude Joffe-Block, NPR, 24 Apr. 2025

How modest, after all, safety’s promises, the ground beneath us not giving out, not even that. —Maya C. Popa, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025

There have been similar experiments testing the feasibility of universal basic income, like one that kicked off in Stockton, California in 2019, which gave out payments of $500 a month. —Rosa Rahimi, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2025

Shopkeepers gave out popsicles and longyis, wraparound garments that are worn by men and women alike in Myanmar, to thank volunteers. —Sui-Lee Wee, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025

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