stick out

verb

stuck out; sticking out; sticks out

intransitive verb

1

a

: to jut out : project

b

: to be prominent or conspicuous

2

: to be persistent (as in a demand or an opinion)

transitive verb

: endure, last entry 1

—often used with it

stuck it out to the end

Synonyms

• bag
• balloon
• beetle
• belly
• billow
• bulge
• bunch
• jut
• overhang
• poke
• pooch [chiefly dialect]
• pouch
• pout
• project
• protrude
• stand out
• start
• swell

Examples of stick out in a Sentence

no feet sticking out in the aisles, please

managed to stick out the whole race despite her bad knee

Recent Examples on the Web

Her few attempts at straight tension, especially a slightly bizarre final confrontation with Amalric’s angry husband figure, stick out from an otherwise playful feature. —Guilherme Jacobs, IndieWire, 21 May 2025

Outside linebacker Brian Burns sticks out as the most logical restructure candidate. —Dan Duggan, New York Times, 21 May 2025

That’s why one announcement from Microsoft's business- and developer-centric Build conference sticks out. —Michael Muchmore, PC Magazine, 19 May 2025

The teens’ comments stuck out to me because adults typically think of phones as igniting confrontation between young people, not the other way around. —Anna North, Vox, 15 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1640, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Rhymes for stick out

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

Kids Definition

stick out

verb

1

a

: to extend out : project

b

: to be noticeable

you will certainly stick out with that red hat and coat

2

: to put up with : endure

stuck it out to the bitter end