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.
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
With organisers aiming to set a new record for the most watched MMA event of all time, it remains to be seen if the Rousey-fronted venture can indeed step out of the UFC's shadow.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
“He wasn’t doing what they asked, which is to step out of the vehicle and surrender,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
Women also step out of the workforce in greater numbers than men for child-rearing and eldercare, often right around that crucial age of 35 when men’s cumulative earnings go up and women’s go down.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 6, 2026
I step out toward the bridge and walk past it, hoping she’ll follow.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
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.
