out
4 antonyms and opposites of out, grouped by meaning.
Adv — Away from the inside, a home, or a central point.
Antonyms
How to use out
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old English ūt, from a very old Germanic root meaning "away, outward" — found in related forms across most Germanic languages.
Full origin of out →Frequently asked questions
What does “out” mean?
The word “out” means away from the inside, a home, or a central point. In plain terms, away from inside, off, unfashionable, or (as a verb) to expose someone's secret.
How do you pronounce “out”?
“Out” is pronounced UUT (/ˈaʊ̯t/ in IPA).
How do you use “out” in a sentence?
Here is “out” used in a sentence: “She's out at the moment — try calling back later.”
What is another word for “out”?
Words with a similar meaning to “out” include away, passé and unchic.
What is the opposite of “out”?
The opposite of “out” — its antonyms — are in, safe, closeted and in the closet.
What part of speech is “out”?
Depending on how it is used, “out” can be an adverb, an adjective, a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “out” come from?
The word “out” comes from Old English. From Old English ūt, from a very old Germanic root meaning "away, outward" — found in related forms across most Germanic languages.
Is “out” a common word?
“Out” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between "out" and "outside"?
"Out" emphasises movement away from the inside or being away from home ("she's out," "he walked out"), while "outside" points to the specific area beyond a boundary ("wait outside the door"). "Outside" can act as a preposition directly before a noun, whereas "out" in careful usage normally needs "of": "out of the room".
Is it "out the window" or "out of the window"?
"Out of" is the traditional and fully standard form: "He looked out of the window." Dropping "of" — "out the window" — is very common in American English and increasingly accepted everywhere, though some formal styles still prefer "out of".
Why do we say a light or fire is "out"?
"Out" has a well-established sense of "no longer burning, switched on, or in operation," so a fire goes out and the lights are out during a power cut. The same sense appears in phrasal verbs like "put out" and "blow out".