find out
learn something new or get information about something
What does "find sth out" mean?
Examples
- She found out the truth about the missing money.
- Can you find out where the meeting is being held?
- I don't know his number, but I'll find it out for you.
How to use it
This is the most common pattern — use it when you want to discover specific information by asking a question word.
Can you find out what time the concert starts?
Use with a short noun phrase when you want to learn a specific piece of information, like the truth or the answer.
She called the school to find out the results.
When the object is a pronoun like 'it', you can place it between 'find' and 'out', though 'find out about it' is also very natural.
I didn't know his phone number, but I found it out eventually.
You can use 'find out' with no object at all when the information is already clear from the context.
I'm not sure which bus to take, but I'll find out.
Use 'find out about' when you want to learn more general information on a subject, rather than one specific fact.
Visit our website to find out more about the course.
Common Collocations
Common Mistakes
Never put a wh-clause (what, where, who, why, how, whether) in the middle of 'find out'. The wh-clause must always come after the full phrasal verb.
'Find' means you locate a physical object (like keys or a book). 'Find out' means you discover information. They are not interchangeable.
'Find out' means you get information from an outside source — by asking, reading, or hearing something. 'Figure out' means you solve or understand something yourself through thinking. Use 'find out' when the information comes to you; use 'figure out' when you work it out in your head.
Usage
Completely neutral in register — use it in conversation, emails, essays, or news. It also works intransitively with no object: 'I'm not sure, but I'll find out.'
Frequently Asked Questions
Can 'find out' be used without an object?
Yes! This is very common and natural. When the topic is already clear from the conversation, you can simply say 'I'll find out' or 'Let me find out.' For example: 'Do you know the price?' — 'Not yet, but I'll find out.'
Does 'find out' always mean discovering information?
In this sense, yes — it means learning or obtaining information through any method. However, if 'find out' is used about a person with no extra object (e.g. 'She found him out'), it can mean discovering that someone was lying or doing something secret. Context makes the meaning clear.
Can I use 'find out' in the passive, like 'it was found out'?
This sounds quite unnatural in most situations. Instead, native speakers usually say 'it was discovered that...' or simply rephrase the sentence in the active voice.
Is 'find out the hard way' a normal phrase?
Yes, it's a very common expression! It means you learned something through a difficult or painful experience rather than being told. For example: 'He found out the hard way that you shouldn't park there — he got a fine.'
What kinds of things can follow 'find out'?
You can follow 'find out' with a wh-word (find out what, where, who, why, how, whether/if), a short noun phrase (find out the truth, find out the answer, find out the results), or the preposition 'about' (find out about the job, find out more about the topic). All of these patterns are very common.
Related Phrasal Verbs
Ready to practise?
Practise 1,000+ English phrasal verbs with interactive gap-fill exercises.
Start Practising →