come out
5 meanings
become known after being kept secret
What does "come out" mean in this sense?
Examples
- Eventually, the truth came out and the manager was forced to resign.
- It came out during the investigation that the company had been hiding the data for years.
- The whole story will come out sooner or later — secrets never stay hidden.
How to use it
This is the most common pattern, where 'it' is a dummy subject and the real information is given in the 'that' clause.
It came out that the company had been overcharging customers for years.
The piece of information or secret acts as the subject of the verb — no object follows.
The full story finally came out after several employees spoke to the press.
Use this pattern to say when or where the information was revealed, such as during an event or process.
It came out during the meeting that several deadlines had been missed without explanation.
Time adverbs are often added to show that the revelation happened after a delay.
The details eventually came out, and everyone was surprised by what they learned.
Common Collocations
Common Mistakes
In this sense, 'come out' is intransitive — the secret or truth is the subject, not an object. Never place a noun or pronoun after 'came out' as if it were an object.
'Get out' is very similar but sounds slightly more informal and often suggests that information leaked accidentally. 'Come out' is neutral about how the revelation happened, so it is the safer choice in most situations.
When the subject is a person rather than a piece of information, 'come out' means something completely different. Make sure the subject is the secret or information, not the person who revealed it.
Usage
This phrasal verb is neutral in register and works equally well in conversation and journalism. It most commonly appears in the pattern 'it came out that + clause' or with a noun subject like 'the truth' or 'the news', often with adverbs like 'eventually' or 'finally'.
publicly say what you really think or believe
Sense 2: What does "come out" mean?
Examples
- The senator finally came out against the proposed legislation after weeks of silence.
- Why won't she just come out and say what she really thinks?
- Several business leaders have come out in support of the new trade agreement.
How to use it
The most common construction — used when someone moves from silence to open, direct speech about their position.
The CEO finally came out and admitted that the company had made a serious error.
Used when someone publicly declares their opposition to something.
Several senior MPs came out against the proposed budget cuts last week.
Used when someone publicly declares their backing or approval of something.
A number of well-known athletes have come out in support of the environmental campaign.
The adverb 'publicly' can be added to emphasise that the declaration is made openly and to a wide audience.
The organisation was slow to come out publicly on the issue, which frustrated many of its members.
Common with adverbs or modifiers that highlight the decision to speak — or the reluctance to do so.
Why won't they just come out and tell us what their actual policy is?
Common Collocations
Common Mistakes
This phrasal verb has several meanings, and learners can mix them up. In this sense, the subject is always a person or group making a deliberate public statement — look for 'and + verb' or 'against / in favour of' to confirm you're in this meaning. Without those clues, readers may interpret the sentence as being about disclosing sexual orientation or about information becoming known on its own.
'Come out' in this sense describes a decisive public act, not an ongoing process, so the present continuous sounds unnatural. Use the simple past, present perfect, or present simple instead.
'Speak out' puts emphasis on the courage involved in voicing a view, often in the face of opposition or risk. 'Come out' focuses more on the shift from a private or unstated position to a public one — the act of going on the record. They overlap but are not always interchangeable.
Usage
This phrasal verb is neutral in register and works in both formal writing (journalism, politics) and everyday speech. It is especially common with 'and say' in spoken English to emphasise directness, as in 'Just come out and say what you mean!'
become available to the public (film, book, song)
Sense 3: What does "come out" mean?
Examples
- Their new album is coming out next month, and the fans can't wait.
- The sequel came out in 2022 and broke box office records.
- When does the new season come out on the streaming platform?
How to use it
The most common pattern — a film, book, album, or game is the subject, followed by a time expression saying when it is released.
Her debut novel is coming out in the spring.
Use this pattern to say where the product will be available, such as a streaming service or in cinemas.
The documentary is coming out on a major streaming platform next Friday.
Used to ask about the release date of something, either in the past or future.
When does the new video game come out?
When the media product has already been mentioned, a pronoun subject is natural and very common.
I've been waiting for this album for ages — it finally came out last week.
Common Collocations
Common Mistakes
Because 'come out' is intransitive, it cannot be made passive. The media product is always the subject of an active sentence.
'Come out' in this sense takes no object — you cannot put a noun directly after it. The thing being released is always the subject.
This sense only works when a media product (film, book, album, etc.) is the subject. If a person is the subject, the meaning changes completely — it refers to revealing one's identity, not a release.
Usage
This phrasal verb is neutral and natural in both spoken and written English. The present continuous ('is coming out') is especially common when talking about planned or upcoming releases.
appear or be produced successfully (a photo)
Sense 4: What does "come out" mean?
Examples
- The holiday came out really well — every single shot is sharp.
- Half the photos didn't come out because I forgot to remove the lens cap.
- Do you think the selfie came out OK, or should we take another one?
How to use it
This is the most common pattern — the photo is the subject and a manner adverb describes the result.
The wedding photos came out beautifully — the lighting was perfect.
Instead of an adverb, you can use an adjective after 'come out' to describe how the image looks.
Most of my shots came out blurry because I was moving too fast.
A negative construction with no quality modifier usually means the photo failed completely and is unusable.
Half the pictures from my old film camera didn't come out.
Use 'come out looking' to describe how a person appears in the finished photo.
I came out looking really tired in every single group photo.
Use a question form to ask whether a photo will be or is usually successful.
Do you think the selfie will come out OK in this lighting?
Common Collocations
Common Mistakes
In this sense, 'come out' almost always needs a quality adverb (like 'well' or 'badly') or adjective (like 'blurry' or 'sharp'). Without one, the sentence can sound unfinished or be confused with a different meaning of 'come out'.
Because the photo is already the subject performing the action, you cannot use a passive form with this phrasal verb. The photo 'comes out' — nothing does it to the photo.
If a stain 'comes out', it means it was removed by washing — a very different meaning. With photos, 'come out' means the image was produced successfully. The subject type is your best clue: photos vs stains.
Usage
This sense is neutral and works in both British and American English. It is most common in casual spoken or written contexts; in formal writing, 'the photographs were produced successfully' or 'turned out well' might be preferred.
be removed from cloth after washing (a stain or mark)
Sense 5: What does "come out" mean?
Examples
- I've washed this shirt three times but the coffee stain just won't come out.
- Luckily, the mud came out after I soaked it overnight.
- Do you think this red wine stain will come out in the wash?
How to use it
The stain or mark is always the subject — this is the most important pattern to remember for this sense.
The grass stain came out after I soaked the jeans in cold water.
The negative form is especially natural and common when a cleaning attempt has failed or is expected to fail.
I've tried everything, but the turmeric stain just won't come out.
Use 'in the wash' to specify that the removal happened — or is expected to happen — during a normal washing cycle.
Don't worry about that mud — it'll come out in the wash.
Use 'with' to mention the product or method used to remove the stain.
The ink stain came out with a bit of rubbing alcohol.
Use the pronoun 'it' when the stain has already been mentioned, to avoid repeating it.
There was a coffee stain on my shirt, but it came out easily.
Common Collocations
Common Mistakes
In this sense, 'come out' is intransitive — the stain must be the subject, not the object. You cannot use a person as the subject with the stain as an object.
'Come out' is used for stains that have been absorbed into fabric or material. 'Come off' is more natural when you're talking about surface coatings, labels, or paint that peel or lift away.
Usage
This is a neutral, everyday expression used in spoken and informal written English. It is common in domestic contexts about laundry and cleaning, and works naturally in both British and American English.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can 'come out' be used in the passive, like 'the truth was come out'?
No — 'come out' in this sense cannot be used in the passive. The secret or truth is always the subject of the verb, not the object. So you must say 'the truth came out', not 'the truth was come out'.
Does 'come out' always mean a secret is revealed? It seems to have other meanings too.
Yes, 'come out' has several different meanings depending on the context. This entry covers only the sense of hidden information becoming known. The subject in this sense is always a piece of information, like a secret, a story, or the truth.
What kinds of things can be the subject of 'come out' in this meaning?
Typical subjects are nouns describing information or secrets, such as 'the truth', 'the news', 'the story', 'the details', 'the facts', or 'the scandal'. You can also use 'it' as a dummy subject and put the real information in a 'that' clause: 'It came out that...'
Can I say 'the truth had been coming out' to describe something happening gradually?
This sounds unnatural in most situations. For gradual revelation, you can use the present continuous — 'the details are coming out slowly' — but the past perfect continuous ('had been coming out') is best avoided with this sense. Stick to past simple or present perfect in most cases.
Is 'come out' more common in spoken English or written English?
It is used freely in both. You will hear it in casual conversation — 'So it came out that he'd been lying' — and see it in news articles or formal reports — 'It subsequently came out that the official had known all along.' It is a genuinely neutral expression with no strong preference for one context.
Does 'come out' always need something after it, like 'and say' or 'against'?
Not strictly, but in practice this sense almost always has a complement — either 'and + verb' (e.g. 'come out and admit') or a prepositional phrase (e.g. 'come out against', 'come out in favour of'). Without one of these, the sentence can feel incomplete or be misread as a different sense of 'come out'.
Can I use 'come out' to talk about a company or political party, not just a person?
Yes — any group or organisation capable of holding a position can be the subject. You might say 'The party came out in support of the reform' or 'The company finally came out and issued a statement'. The key is that the subject must be an agent making a deliberate choice to go public.
How is 'come out' different from 'come out' meaning information becomes known?
When information 'comes out', the subject is the information itself — 'the truth came out' — and there is no deliberate choice involved; it simply becomes known. In this sense, the subject is always a person or group who chooses to speak. If you can replace the subject with 'the truth' or 'the secret' and the sentence still makes sense, it's the other meaning.
Is 'just come out and say it' a set phrase?
It functions almost like an idiomatic chunk, especially in spoken English. Saying 'just come out and say it' means you're telling someone to stop being indirect and state their opinion or feeling plainly. It's very natural in casual conversation and carries a tone of mild impatience or encouragement.
Can 'come out' be used in the passive in this sense?
No — 'come out' in this sense is intransitive, meaning it has no object, so a passive construction isn't possible. You cannot say 'a position was come out'. The subject always does the action themselves.
Can I use 'come out' to talk about any product, like a new phone or a new food?
It's most natural with creative or media products — films, albums, books, games, and similar works. While people sometimes say it about tech products like phones or apps, it can sound slightly unnatural. For everyday physical products like food or furniture, it's better to say 'go on sale' or 'be released'.
Does 'come out' always mean the same thing?
No — 'come out' has several different meanings depending on the subject and context. When a media product is the subject and a time expression is nearby, it means a public release. With a person as the subject, it usually means something completely different. The platform page covers other senses separately.
Why do people say 'is coming out' instead of 'will come out' for future releases?
Both are grammatically correct, but 'is coming out' (present continuous) is much more natural for scheduled releases because it suggests a firm, planned date — similar to saying 'My flight is leaving at 9'. 'Will come out' is also fine, especially when the date is less certain.
Can I use 'come out' to talk about something that was released a long time ago?
Yes, absolutely. The simple past is very common in reviews and conversations about older media — for example, 'That song came out in the nineties.' There's no time limit on how far back you can refer to.
Does 'come out' always need a word like 'well' or 'blurry' after it?
In this photography sense, yes — almost always. A quality word like 'well', 'badly', 'sharp', or 'blurry' makes the meaning clear. The main exception is the negative form 'the photos didn't come out', which on its own means the photos failed completely.
Can I use 'come out' for digital photos, or only old film cameras?
You can use it for both. It originally referred to developing film, but today it's just as natural for digital photos, selfies, and phone pictures. Saying 'my selfie came out great' sounds completely normal.
Is 'come out' the same as 'turn out' for photos?
Yes, in this sense they mean the same thing and are both natural. 'The photos came out really well' and 'the photos turned out really well' are equally correct. 'Come out' is slightly more common specifically with photos, while 'turn out' is also used in many other situations.
Can I use 'come out' in the present continuous — like 'the photo is coming out well'?
This sounds very unnatural. Photos don't 'come out' as a gradual, ongoing process — the result is either there or it isn't. Stick to simple past ('came out'), present perfect ('has come out'), or future simple ('will come out').
What subjects can I use with this sense of 'come out'?
The subject is always a photo or image of some kind — for example: photo, picture, selfie, shot, print, scan, image, or film. You can also use 'they' or 'it' when referring back to photos already mentioned in the conversation.
Does 'come out' always mean a stain has been removed successfully?
Not necessarily — it describes the possibility or result of removal, which can be positive or negative. You might say 'it came out easily' for success, or 'it won't come out' for failure. The negative form is actually very common in everyday speech.
Can I use 'come out' to talk about removing paint or a sticker from a wall?
For stains absorbed into fabric or material, 'come out' is the natural choice. For things like paint, labels, or stickers on a hard surface, 'come off' sounds more natural. So you'd say the ink stain 'came out' of your shirt, but the sticker 'came off' the jar.
Does 'come out' have other meanings? I've heard it used in different ways.
Yes, 'come out' has several different senses depending on context. This one is specifically about stains or marks disappearing during cleaning. Other senses have completely different subjects and contexts, so the meaning is usually clear from the situation.
What kinds of stains or marks can be the subject of 'come out'?
Almost any stain or mark absorbed into fabric or material — for example, coffee, red wine, grass, mud, blood, ink, grease, sweat, or tomato sauce stains. The subject should always be a physical substance or mark, not a person or abstract idea.
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