stick out

2 meanings

Meanings
  1. 1 be very easy to see or notice B2
  2. 2 push something out so it goes past a surface B1
1 stick out

be very easy to see or notice

B2

What does "stick out" mean in this sense?

Something or someone that sticks out is very easy to notice, usually because they are different from everything or everyone around them. The contrast with the surroundings is key — a person wearing a bright outfit in a room full of dark clothes, or an unusually strong application in a pile of average ones, would stick out. The phrase often carries a slightly awkward or uncomfortable connotation, suggesting that the attention is unwanted or unintended. The fixed expression 'stick out like a sore thumb' is an extremely common idiom that captures this idea of being conspicuously, unavoidably obvious. Adverbs like 'really', 'immediately', and 'definitely' are frequently used to intensify the meaning.

Examples

How to use it

subject + stick out (intransitive)

This is the core pattern — the verb is used without an object, with the subject being the person or thing that is noticeable.

His bright orange jacket really stuck out at the black-tie event.

stick out + in/among + noun phrase

Use 'in' or 'among' to specify the context or group in which someone or something is conspicuous.

She immediately stuck out among the other candidates because of her creative portfolio.

stick out + like a sore thumb

This fixed simile is used to emphasise that something is very obviously out of place — treat it as a single chunk.

He stuck out like a sore thumb at the casual beach party in his business suit.

tend to / seem to + stick out

Use infinitive constructions after verbs like 'tend to' or 'seem to' to describe habitual or apparent conspicuousness.

Candidates who include concrete achievements tend to stick out from the rest on a CV.

stick out + a mile

The informal phrase 'stick out a mile' emphasises that something is extremely obvious and impossible to miss.

The mistake in the report stuck out a mile — I can't believe no one caught it.

Common Collocations

stick out in a crowdstick out like a sore thumbstick out from the restreally stick outstick out on a CVstick out immediately

Common Mistakes

Confusing 'stick out' with 'stick it out'

'Stick out' (be noticeable) is intransitive and never takes an object between 'stick' and 'out'. 'Stick it out' is a completely different phrasal verb meaning to endure something difficult — the two should not be confused.

✗ The new employee decided to stick out the difficult first month.
✓ The new employee decided to stick it out through the difficult first month. / The new employee stuck out immediately because of her confident manner.
Assuming 'stick out' is always positive

Unlike 'stand out', which often implies impressive or positive noticeability, 'stick out' frequently suggests awkward or unwanted conspicuousness. Choosing the wrong word can change the tone of your sentence significantly.

✗ Her brilliant presentation made her stick out as the best speaker of the day.
✓ Her brilliant presentation made her stand out as the best speaker of the day.
Inserting an object between 'stick' and 'out'

In this sense, 'stick out' is strictly intransitive — you cannot place a noun or pronoun between 'stick' and 'out'. Any object you want to reference should be the subject of the sentence instead.

✗ His accent stuck immediately out in the meeting.
✓ His accent stuck out immediately in the meeting.

Usage

Both 'stick out' and 'stand out' mean to be noticeable, but 'stick out' often implies awkward or unwanted visibility (especially in 'stick out like a sore thumb'), while 'stand out' is more often positive. Both are neutral-to-informal and common in spoken English.

2 stick sth out

push something out so it goes past a surface

B1

Sense 2: What does "stick sth out" mean?

This sense of 'stick out' describes something that extends physically beyond a surface or boundary — it goes further out than the thing around it. You might use it to describe a nail that hasn't been pushed in fully, a branch hanging over a path, or a shelf that projects from a wall. It can also describe a deliberate action, like pushing your hand or head out of a window. The idea is always about something physically protruding into space — not about being noticeable or standing out in a crowd, which is a different meaning of the same phrasal verb.

Examples

How to use it

something stick out (of / from something)

This is the most common pattern, where something protrudes on its own — no object is needed after the verb.

There's a bolt sticking out of the wall near the door.

stick + body part + out

When you actively extend a body part beyond a surface or boundary, the object goes between 'stick' and 'out'.

She stuck her arm out of the car window to wave goodbye.

stick + pronoun + out

When you replace a body part with a pronoun, it must go between 'stick' and 'out' — never after 'out'.

The teacher asked the children to stick their tongues out, and they all stuck them out.

something be sticking out

The present continuous is very natural for describing a physical protrusion you notice at a particular moment, especially a hazard.

Watch your head — that beam is sticking out further than you think.

Common Collocations

a nail sticking outstick your tongue outstick your head outa wire sticking outa branch sticking outstick an arm out

Common Mistakes

Separating the verb in the intransitive pattern

When something is protruding on its own (not because someone is extending it), 'stick out' is intransitive and cannot be separated. There is no object to put between 'stick' and 'out'.

✗ A nail was sticking the board out.
✓ A nail was sticking out of the board.
Confusing the physical sense with the figurative sense

'Stick out' also has a common meaning of being very noticeable or conspicuous, which is completely different. If something physically extends beyond a surface, use the protrusion sense; if a person is standing out in a crowd, that's the figurative sense.

✗ He sticks out of the crowd because his hair is sticking out of the ceiling.
✓ His hair was sticking out from under his hat. (physical) / He really sticks out in a crowd. (figurative)
Using 'stick it out' to mean protrude

The pattern 'stick it out' with the pronoun 'it' is a fixed expression meaning to endure something difficult — it never means physical protrusion. Use a specific body part or object as the subject or object instead.

✗ The wire was sticking it out of the socket.
✓ The wire was sticking out of the socket.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral and works in both spoken and written English. Be aware that 'stick out' also has a common figurative meaning (to be very noticeable), so context makes clear which sense is intended.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'stick out' negative, or can it be neutral?

It can be both, depending on context, but it often leans slightly negative or awkward — especially in the phrase 'stick out like a sore thumb'. If you want to say someone is noticeable in an impressive or positive way, 'stand out' is usually a better choice. 'Stick out' is more naturally used when the attention is unintended or uncomfortable.

Does 'stick out' have other meanings? I've heard it used differently.

Yes, 'stick out' has more than one meaning. It can describe something physically protruding (like a nail from a wall), and separately, 'stick it out' means to persevere through something difficult. This page covers only the 'be noticeable' sense — the other meanings have their own entries.

Can I say 'she will be sticking out at the party'?

It's not wrong, but the future continuous sounds a little forced in most contexts with this phrasal verb. It's more natural to say 'she'll stick out at the party' or 'she's going to stick out'. Simple forms tend to work best.

What kinds of things can 'stick out'? Can it only be people?

No, it's not limited to people. Anything that is conspicuous by contrast can stick out — a bright colour in a dull room, a typo in an otherwise polished document, or an unusual application in a pile of similar ones. The key is that the subject draws attention because it is different from its surroundings.

Is 'stick out like a sore thumb' too informal to use in writing?

It's an idiom, so it's best suited to informal or conversational writing rather than formal academic or professional contexts. In everyday emails, blog posts, or spoken English it's perfectly natural and very widely understood. For formal writing, you'd be better off with a phrase like 'was conspicuously out of place'.

Can 'stick out' be used in the passive, like 'the arm was stuck out'?

No, this doesn't sound natural in English. For the protrusion sense, it's almost always active — either something is sticking out on its own, or a person sticks a body part out. The passive form sounds very unnatural with this meaning.

Does 'stick out' always need to be about a body part?

No — the intransitive pattern works with all kinds of physical objects, like nails, wires, branches, shelves, or rocks. The body-part pattern is only relevant when someone is actively extending a part of their body, like sticking your head or hand out.

What's the difference between 'stick out' and 'jut out'?

'Jut out' has a similar meaning but is more literary and often suggests a sharp or angular protrusion, like a cliff or a ledge jutting out. 'Stick out' is the everyday, neutral choice and works in almost any context.

Is it natural to say 'the nail will be sticking out tomorrow'?

The future continuous sounds a bit forced for this physical meaning. It's much more natural to use the present continuous to describe something protruding right now ('the nail is sticking out'), or the simple past for what you noticed before ('a nail was sticking out of the step').

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