1
as in protruding
to extend outward beyond a usual point
no feet sticking out in the aisles, please
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in handling
to put up with (something painful or difficult)
managed to stick out the whole race despite her bad knee
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of sticking out
This is small, beaver-dam-laden water with a sandy composition, and a few years ago, Kozminski caught a glimpse of something irregular sticking out of the sand.
—
Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 2 Apr. 2026
On June 17, 2022, 23 years after Kinney disappeared, a family searching for seashells found a long bone sticking out of the sand on Salmon Creek Beach.
—Saleen Martin, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
Kinney disappeared in 1999 and on June 17, 2022, a family looking for sea shells on Salmon Creek State Beach came across a bone sticking out of the sand.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Another video shows men digging through rubble where an arm is sticking out.
—Marin Scott, NBC news, 24 Mar. 2026
Nicholson repeatedly stabbed her and slit her throat before stuffing her into a large plastic bin with her arms and legs sticking out, Porter said.
—City News Service, Oc Register, 21 Mar. 2026
This could be an eye-opener to what’s really sticking out.
—Dan Hayes, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
In Beijing, Elliott placed fourth in banked slalom and sixth in snowboard cross with half an inch of his femur bone sticking out of his leg.
—Jacob Louraine, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026
The bodies, meanwhile, reminded this writer of Bret Easton Ellis novels, in that the men were comically buff, and the women’s hipbones were sticking out.
—Elektra Kotsoni, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2026
Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 2 Apr. 2026
On June 17, 2022, 23 years after Kinney disappeared, a family searching for seashells found a long bone sticking out of the sand on Salmon Creek Beach.
—Saleen Martin, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
Kinney disappeared in 1999 and on June 17, 2022, a family looking for sea shells on Salmon Creek State Beach came across a bone sticking out of the sand.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Another video shows men digging through rubble where an arm is sticking out.
—Marin Scott, NBC news, 24 Mar. 2026
Nicholson repeatedly stabbed her and slit her throat before stuffing her into a large plastic bin with her arms and legs sticking out, Porter said.
—City News Service, Oc Register, 21 Mar. 2026
This could be an eye-opener to what’s really sticking out.
—Dan Hayes, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
In Beijing, Elliott placed fourth in banked slalom and sixth in snowboard cross with half an inch of his femur bone sticking out of his leg.
—Jacob Louraine, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026
The bodies, meanwhile, reminded this writer of Bret Easton Ellis novels, in that the men were comically buff, and the women’s hipbones were sticking out.
—Elektra Kotsoni, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sticking out
Verb
-
Harden, 36, with his famous, protruding beard and those dark, piercing eyes, was determined to use his star power to get his way, to bring with him a slice of comfort to a new city.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
-
In the bathroom, a chemical meant to make trace blood more visible reacted in the sink and the bathtub, while a visible bloodstain was found under the protruding edge of a vanity, Hooks said.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Gas prices crossed an average of $4 a gallon nationally this week and just 24% of Americans approve of how Trump is handling that issue, a new CNN/SSRS poll released March 31 found.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Upon the umpteenth retelling, Jules (Jeff Wilbusch)—who witnessed the gory death of Rachel’s mother (Victoria Pedretti) as a little boy and therefore wholeheartedly believes in the curse—begins poking holes in the story.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
2 Apr. 2026
-
While the 1930s and 1940s did see some instances of carnival poking fun at the tyranny of the Nazi regime (none of which, it should be noted, went unpunished), Birdsall and other scholars maintain that the festival was, first and foremost, an avenue for propaganda.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The bathrooms typically feature standing showers but the suite is home to a bathtub.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The season starts with 16 single contestants, and the last couple standing not only leaves the boat with a new boo, but gets a $100,000 trip around the world.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The run after catch is evident in some of Moore’s deeper targets, too, with his speed and contact balance standing out.—
Joe Buscaglia,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Indeed, there’s a precedent, and continuing pride, in French prep prioritizing its own homegrown brands, with Lacoste standing out as the preeminent example.—
Eric Twardzik,
Robb Report,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Star participation and a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere are two of the pillars that have led to the enduring success of the Par 3 Contest.—
Lev Akabas,
Sportico.com,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Florida is enduring its worst drought in 25 years, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System, with the dry conditions contributing to a heightened risk of wildfires this spring and prompting water restrictions in parts of the state.—
Dan Peck,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Islamabad has accused the country's Taliban government of tolerating militant groups that are behind attacks in Pakistan.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Native to East Africa, this drought-tolerant plant doesn't need a lot of attention, tolerating underwatering and a variety of light conditions.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Only time will, but Rivers seems at peace with accepting the idea of calling it a career sooner than later.—
James Jackson,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Instead of blindly accepting all incoming data, each robot or vehicle evaluates the reliability of information received from other agents.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sticking out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sticking%20out. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
