come out

UK/ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/US/ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/

phraseB12 meaningsNot compared — the two pools are counted one word at a time, so a phrase has no score

To come out is to be released. Films and books do it, and so does the sun from behind a cloud.

The publishing sense is the commonest, so asking when a book will come out is a question about its release date. There are several others: a stain comes out in the wash, the truth comes out eventually, and photographs come out well or badly. The most important modern sense is about identity, since coming out means telling people you are gay, and it is one of the few phrases in English that names a whole life event.

Definitions of come out

1phrasecome outTo be published or released.B1
“The second volume will come out in the spring.”
2phrasebecomeTo become known or visible.B1
“The sun may come out later.”

← Vocabulary

come out

UK/ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/US/ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/

phraseB12 meaningsNot compared — the two pools are counted one word at a time, so a phrase has no score

To come out is to be released. Films and books do it, and so does the sun from behind a cloud.

Definitions of come out

1phrasecome outTo be published or released.B1
“The second volume will come out in the spring.”
2phrasebecomeTo become known or visible.B1
“The sun may come out later.”