go out
verb
went out; gone out; going out; goes out
1
a
: to go forth, abroad, or outdoors
specifically
: to leave one's house
b(1)
: to take the field as a soldier
(2)
: to participate as a principal in a duel
c
: to travel as or as if a colonist or immigrant
d
: to work away from home
2
a
: to come to an end
b
: to give up office : resign
c
: to become obsolete or unfashionable
d(1)
: to play the last card of one's hand
(2)
: to reach or exceed the total number of points required for game in cards
e
: to bring a performance to a close
The band went out with a solid rendition of another Allmans classic …—
Joel Silverstein
Joel Silverstein3
a
: to take part in social activities
made plans to go out for drinks
b
: to date someone romantically
They've been going out for about six months.
4
: to go on strike
6
: to become a candidate
went out for the football team
Phrases
go out with a bang
: to die, end, or finish in a thrilling, forceful, or impressive way
Game of Thrones is known for its impressive production value, so it is understandable why HBO would want to go out with a bang, making the final episodes the biggest television has ever seen.—Emily Murray
Emily MurrayExamples of go out in a Sentence
there was concern that the dam would go out under the force of the flood waters
she enjoys going out on weekends, but during the week she's a homebody
Recent Examples on the Web
Get out from behind your desk and go out to meet people and talk to them.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
In New York, there was this amazing art store called Pearl Paint on Canal Street that sadly went out of business.
—Kei Lim
june 9, Literary Hub, 9 June 2025
There’s a fire here that’s never gone out, it’s just been ignored.
—Gregory Johnson, Hartford Courant, 8 June 2025
Senate could drop contentious provisions House members risked supporting
Even though Republicans control both chambers of Congress, the Senate could drop or fail to approve contentious parts that GOP House colleagues in competitive districts already went out on a limb to support.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for go out
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
In New York, there was this amazing art store called Pearl Paint on Canal Street that sadly went out of business.
—Kei Lim
june 9, Literary Hub, 9 June 2025
There’s a fire here that’s never gone out, it’s just been ignored.
—Gregory Johnson, Hartford Courant, 8 June 2025
Senate could drop contentious provisions House members risked supporting
Even though Republicans control both chambers of Congress, the Senate could drop or fail to approve contentious parts that GOP House colleagues in competitive districts already went out on a limb to support.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for go out
Cite this Entry
“Go out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/go%20out. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
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