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

My sincere condolences go out to his four children. —Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024

Weekend meals are a mixture of shared cooking, going out to eat, and potlucks with family and friends. —Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Apr. 2024

And then other social events like going out with friends, meeting new people, work events. —Rachel Wenzlaff, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2024

This collaboration will hopefully invite creatives from around the world to truly go out and get in touch with nature, through art. —Alessia Glaviano, Vogue, 10 Apr. 2024

The company went out of its way to hire thin, white women who were often recruited on the spot while shopping in its stores, employees said in the documentary. —Callie Holtermann, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024

News alerts went out immediately from all sorts of media sites. —Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 9 Apr. 2024

The distressed style gives them a casual, relaxed vibe, and the high waist and straight legs won’t go out of style anytime soon. —Kayla Blanton, Peoplemag, 29 Mar. 2024

When that time comes, data centers have two options: scrap the old equipment or go out of their way to find a recycling solution. —Sviat Dulianinov, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

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