step out
Britishverb
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to go outside or leave a room, building, etc, esp briefly
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to begin to walk more quickly and take longer strides
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informal to withdraw from involvement; bow out
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informal to be a boyfriend or girlfriend (of someone), esp publicly
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Walk briskly, as in He stepped out in time to the music . [c. 1800]
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Also, step outside . Go outside briefly, as in He just stepped out for a cigarette . [First half of 1500s]
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Go out for an evening of entertainment, as in They're stepping out again tonight .
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step out with . Accompany or consort with a person as when going on a date, as in She's been stepping out with him for a month . [ Colloquial ; early 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.
Other luminaries, such as the educational reformer Emily Davies and the suffragist Emmeline Pankhurst, actually step out from the background chatter to become major players.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 26, 2026
Aware of England's favoured method of creating chances - fast attacks after enticing pressure - Ghana consciously refused to step out of their defensive shape, leaving little space in behind for England to target.
From BBC • Jun. 24, 2026
He was forced to use the plane's own staircase, only to step out onto the tarmac rather than a red carpet, prompting speculation of a snub.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
Others can empathize with her urge to step out of the spotlight for the sake of her well-being.
From Salon • Apr. 30, 2026
Dyedka heaved himself up, and Anya ran to help him step out of the cart.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
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.
