shout-out

noun

ˈshau̇t-ˌau̇t 

variants or less commonly shoutout

plural shout-outs also shoutouts

informal

: a public expression of greeting, praise, or acknowledgement directed toward a person or group often as part of a performance, recording, or broadcast

She opened her acceptance speech with a shout-out to James Baldwin, the author of the book on which the movie was based, calling him "one of the greatest artists of our time."

—Neal Justin

Here are a few lyrical shout-outs to some of hip hop's favorite designers.

—Scott Poulson-Bryant

She even gave a shoutout to one of her former teachers on Twitter, and encouraged others to do the same.

—Emily Sweeney

Examples of shout-out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively, and Kendrick Lamar all got shout-outs in Fallon’s brief monologue about Trump and Elon’s conscious uncoupling. —Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 6 June 2025

One of the colors — Hail Clay — features a special shout-out to his wife. —Jacqueline Weiss, People.com, 6 June 2025

The makers of this couch pillow holder send a shout-out to snackers, beverage lovers, gamers, and even TV remote holders. —Devonne Goode, Parents, 6 June 2025

Monthly shout-outs in staff meetings, personalized notes of appreciation or small rewards for reaching milestones can boost spirits and encourage a culture of continuous improvement. —Sacha Obaid, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1990, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for shout-out

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout

Kids Definition

shout–out

noun

variants also shoutout

ˈshau̇t-ˌau̇t

informal

: a public expression of greeting, praise, or acknowledgment directed toward a person or group often as part of a performance, broadcast, or recording