go out

verb

went out; gone out; going out; goes out

intransitive verb

1

a

: to go forth, abroad, or outdoors

specifically : to leave one's house

b(1)

: to take the field as a soldier

(2)

: to participate as a principal in a duel

c

: to travel as or as if a colonist or immigrant

d

: to work away from home

2

a

: to come to an end

b

: to give up office : resign

c

: to become obsolete or unfashionable

d(1)

: to play the last card of one's hand

(2)

: to reach or exceed the total number of points required for game in cards

e

: to bring a performance to a close

The band went out with a solid rendition of another Allmans classic …

—Joel Silverstein

3

a

: to take part in social activities

made plans to go out for drinks

b

: to date someone romantically

They've been going out for about six months.

4

: to go on strike

5

: break, collapse

6

: to become a candidate

went out for the football team

Phrases

go out with a bang

: to die, end, or finish in a thrilling, forceful, or impressive way

Game of Thrones is known for its impressive production value, so it is understandable why HBO would want to go out with a bang, making the final episodes the biggest television has ever seen.

—Emily Murray

Synonyms

• buckle
• cave (in)
• collapse
• crumple
• founder
• give
• go
• implode
• tumble
• yield

Examples of go out in a Sentence

there was concern that the dam would go out under the force of the flood waters

she enjoys going out on weekends, but during the week she's a homebody

Recent Examples on the Web

Manager Phil Nevin went out to Canning, seemingly to pull him from the game. —Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2023

An Ohio teen missed her homecoming dance after undergoing surgery for a brain tumor, so a group of caregivers went out of their way to make it up to her. —Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 27 Sep. 2023

The flat sandal is comfortable to wear while walking but is dressy enough to wear while going out in the evenings. —Kaitlyn McInnis, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2023

Because solar was more expensive in the 2010s, many entered into leases with solar companies to defray upfront costs, and many were left in the lurch when those companies went out of business. —Alana Semuels, Time, 26 Sep. 2023

Our thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to his family and loved ones. —CBS News, 25 Sep. 2023

If one of us went out in Baton Rouge by ourselves, there’s probably gonna be someone there asking for something – picture, autograph, whatever. —Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 24 Sep. 2023

In October, after an event at Carnegie Hall where Dr. Cruz was the honoree for spirituality work, the couple went out to dinner with friends. —Rosalie R. Radomsky, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2023

But, as always, Sanders went out of his way to deliver far beyond our wildest dreams. —J. Brady McCollough, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

go out

verb

1

: to leave one's home

2

: to stop working

3

: to stop burning or glowing

4

: to become a candidate

went out for the football team