spill out
phrasal verb
spilled out also spilt out; spilling out; spills out
: to fall, flow, or run over the edge of a container or to cause or allow (something) to fall, flow, or run over the edge of a container
The bag ripped open and the flour spilled out onto the floor.
The bag ripped open and spilled out its contents all over the floor.
She spilled the contents of her purse out on the table.
—sometimes used figurativelyAll his thoughts suddenly came spilling out.
He spilled his thoughts out to her.
Examples of spill out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Place it over a branch so that the tinsel spills out over both sides, and tamp down the strip so it’s hidden amongst your tree’s needles.
—
Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Dec. 2025
Open only on the weekends from May to October, this has become our apéro (French version of pre-dinner drinks and snacks) ritual, ordering freshly shucked oysters and prawns from the waterfront stand before settling into one of the picnic tables spilling out along the terrace on the quay.
—Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 7 Dec. 2025
In lieu of decor, farmers market spoils spill out on every surface, taking shifts with the seasons.
—Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 5 Dec. 2025
The attack started in the banquet hall and spilled out into the street.
—Theresa Braine, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spill out
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.
Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Dec. 2025
Open only on the weekends from May to October, this has become our apéro (French version of pre-dinner drinks and snacks) ritual, ordering freshly shucked oysters and prawns from the waterfront stand before settling into one of the picnic tables spilling out along the terrace on the quay.
—Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 7 Dec. 2025
In lieu of decor, farmers market spoils spill out on every surface, taking shifts with the seasons.
—Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 5 Dec. 2025
The attack started in the banquet hall and spilled out into the street.
—Theresa Braine, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spill out
Cite this Entry
“Spill out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spill%20out. Accessed 16 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share