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Synonyms

opt out

British  

verb

  1. to choose not to be involved (in) or part (of)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. the act of opting out, esp of local-authority administration

    opt-outs by hospitals and schools
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
opt out Idioms  

  1. Choose not to participate, as in Our school opted out of the state competition. [Slang; mid-1900s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It had previously been set to make this an "opt out" decision for creators - something that would have made it easier for AI firms to use copyrighted works to develop their systems.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

In its initial response to the burgeoning controversy, Grammarly offered to allow writers to opt out of “expert review” by sending the company an email.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

Plenty of people who cannot opt out of being Chinese have echoed the same frustration.

From Slate • Mar. 13, 2026

Under UK law, all potentially affected persons are included in this type of class action by default, and may benefit from possible compensation, unless they voluntarily opt out.

From Barron's • Mar. 8, 2026

Like Katherine Goble, however, they also figured a way to opt out of the segregated facilities.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.