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

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 Photograph: David Livingston/Getty Images The thread was 10 tweets long—verbose by X standards—and 219 words, but there was just one word that stuck out. WIRED, 10 Nov. 2023 New problem: There was a 300-pound appliance sticking out of the minivan. Owen Thomas, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Nov. 2023 Black smoke sticks out in that situation more so than white smoke. Craig Caudill, Field & Stream, 16 Nov. 2023 Keep in Mind Depending on your under-bed space, the containers may stick out a bit. Kathleen Felton, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Nov. 2023 What to Consider The bag isn’t very long, so most dresses will stick out the bottom. Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 31 Oct. 2023 On a sidewalk near a line of bushes, two legs stuck out from under a blanket. Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Oct. 2023 They were held in September, and one of the stories in particular really stuck out to me. Rachel Feltman, Popular Science, 8 Nov. 2023 There are, of course, some moments that stuck out to me as unintentionally funny. John Paul Brammer, SELF, 3 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stick out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of stick out was circa 1640

Dictionary Entries Near stick out

Cite this Entry

“Stick out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stick%20out. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on stick out

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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