step out

verb

stepped out; stepping out; steps out

intransitive verb

1

: to go away from a place usually for a short distance and for a short time

2

: to go or march at a vigorous or increased pace

3

: die

4

: to lead an active social life

5

: to be unfaithful

—usually used with on

had been stepping out on his wife

Synonyms

• cheat
• philander
• screw around

Examples of step out in a Sentence

if she catches him stepping out on her, she'll divorce him without a moment's hesitation

my greedy relatives are only being nice to me because they expect me to step out any time now

Recent Examples on the Web

Alec and Hilaria Baldwin stepped out together for their first red carpet appearance following the dismissal of the actor's recent Rust court case. —Jenny Haward, Peoplemag, 21 July 2024

Let your clothes stick to you, and step out into the world. —Laia Garcia-Furtado, Vogue, 19 July 2024

Without warning, police said occupants of a vehicle stepped out late Thursday morning and sprayed 22nd Street in Southeast Washington with gunfire. —Peter Hermann, Washington Post, 19 July 2024

Around lunchtime on Tuesday, the former Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, trailed by a phalanx of aides, stepped out of the sun on the plaza outside Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum, where the Republican National Convention is being held, and sat down at a sports pub named the New Fashioned. —Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 18 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

step out

verb

: to go away from a place usually for a short distance and for a short time