send out

send something to many people at the same time

B1

What does "send sb out" mean?

Use 'send out' when you distribute something — like an email, letter, or invitation — to a group of people at the same time. It suggests that multiple copies are going to multiple recipients, often by post, email, or another delivery method. For example, a company might send out a newsletter to all its customers, or a school might send out notices to parents. Because it implies bulk distribution, 'send out' sounds less natural when there is only one recipient — in that case, plain 'send' is usually better. It works equally well in everyday conversation and in professional contexts like business emails or official announcements.

Examples

How to use it

send out + object

The most common pattern, used when the object is a noun phrase such as a letter, newsletter, or invitation.

The organisation sent out a press release about the new partnership.

send + object + out

Short noun objects often go between the verb and particle, especially in natural speech.

We need to send the reminders out before the end of the week.

send + pronoun + out

When the object is a pronoun, it must go between the verb and particle — this order cannot be reversed.

The invitations are ready — can you send them out today?

object + be sent out

The passive is very natural and common, especially in formal or business writing when who did the sending is less important.

Survey forms were sent out to all registered participants last Monday.

Common Collocations

invitationsemailsnewslettersreminderslettersnotices

Common Mistakes

Pronoun placement

When the object is a pronoun like 'them' or 'it', it must go between 'send' and 'out'. Placing it after 'out' is ungrammatical in English.

✗ We printed the flyers and then sent out them.
✓ We printed the flyers and then sent them out.
Using 'send out' for a single recipient

'Send out' strongly implies distributing to multiple people at once. When you are writing or mailing to just one person, plain 'send' sounds more natural.

✗ I sent out the report to my manager yesterday.
✓ I sent the report to my manager yesterday.
Confusing 'send out' with 'hand out'

'Hand out' means giving things directly to people in person, while 'send out' is used when items are distributed by post, email, or another delivery method to people at a distance.

✗ She handed out the newsletters by email to all subscribers.
✓ She sent out the newsletters by email to all subscribers.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral and suits both formal and informal contexts, from office emails to casual conversation. It strongly suggests sending to multiple people at once, so for a single recipient, plain 'send' often sounds more natural.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'send out' always mean sending to lots of people?

It strongly suggests that you are distributing something to multiple recipients at the same time — that is what makes it different from plain 'send'. You can technically use it with a small group, but if there is only one recipient, 'send' alone sounds much more natural.

What kinds of things can you 'send out'?

The most common objects are things like invitations, newsletters, emails, reminders, notices, flyers, surveys, announcements, and press releases — essentially any communication or document that goes to a group of people. The key idea is that you are distributing something, usually copies of the same item, to multiple recipients.

Can 'send out' have a completely different meaning?

Yes — 'send out' can also mean to dispatch a person or group for a specific purpose, as in 'send out a search party' or 'send out for pizza'. This is a different sense from the distribution meaning. The context usually makes it clear which one is intended: if the object is a document or message going to many recipients, it is the distribution sense.

Is it natural to say 'I have been sending out' for a mass mailing?

The present perfect continuous sounds a little awkward in this context. It is more natural to use the simple present perfect — 'I have sent out' — or to describe it as a completed action: 'I sent out the emails this morning'.

Can I use 'send out' without saying what was sent?

Only if the object is already very clear from the context. Saying 'We've already sent out' on its own sounds incomplete. You normally need to mention the object, even briefly — for example, 'We've already sent them out' or 'We've already sent the invitations out'.

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