come out

verb

came out; come out; coming out; comes out
Synonyms of come outnext

intransitive verb

1
a
: to appear after being hidden
As it got dark, the stars came out.
b
: to become available
The show's new season comes out next month.
a new magazine has come out
c
: to become known or evident
The truth finally came out.
Their pride came out in their refusal to accept help.
2
a
: to declare oneself especially in public utterance
came out in favor of the proposal
Some former supporters have come out against him.
b
: to say openly
Why don't you come out and say what you really think?
3
a
: to turn out in an outcome : end up
Everything came out all right.
They were confident they'd come out on top.
b
used to describe the quality something has when finished
The photos came out blurry.
4
: to make a debut
5
a
: to openly declare one's sexual orientation or gender identity
came out as bisexual
decided to come out to her family
b
: to openly declare something about oneself previously kept hidden
often used with as
… blew his cover and came out as a CIA agent …William Prochnau
6
: to be said, expressed, or understood in a particular way
That's not what I meant. It didn't come out right.
coming-out noun

see also come out with

Examples of come out in a Sentence

in the end everything came out OK come out, come out wherever you are!
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Since it's been so long since the first heist movie came out in 2001, Clooney revealed the upcoming film will definitely lean into that passage of time for the main characters. Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Dec. 2025 Parents who can lose days to lice and come out economically unscathed are lucky. Lauren Hilgers, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025 Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2025 After two decades as a conservative talk radio host, Garrison came out of retirement to win the office in 2022. Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 30 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for come out

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of come out was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Come out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/come%20out. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

come out

verb
1
: to come into public view
2
: to turn out to be
everything came out all right

More from Merriam-Webster on come out

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!