22 Prepositional Phrases with OUT: Meanings and Examples

Hello, dear English learners! Today, we are looking at 22 prepositional phrases with out that frequently appear in everyday conversations, news reports, business communication and Cambridge exam tasks. Expressions such as out of control, out of work and out of sight may contain simple words, but their complete meanings are not always obvious.

Learning prepositional phrases with out as complete expressions will help you speak and write more naturally. In this lesson, you will study their meanings, common grammar patterns, natural example sentences and useful collocations. You can also complete a practice exercise and answer conversation questions to help you remember them.

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1. Out of hand

Meaning: no longer manageable or under control

The phrase is commonly used with verbs such as get, become and get completely.

• The argument got out of hand, and the manager had to intervene.
• Things quickly got out of hand when hundreds of people arrived unexpectedly.

Another meaning: to reject something immediately, without considering it properly

• The committee rejected the proposal out of hand.

2. Out of print

Meaning: no longer being published or produced

• This expression is most commonly used when talking about books, magazines and other printed publications.
• I tried to order the book, but unfortunately, it was out of print.

3. Out of step

Meaning: not moving at the same rhythm as other people; not agreeing with current ideas, developments or attitudes

• During the parade, one of the soldiers was marching out of step.
• Some people believe that the company is out of step with modern working practices.

We usually use out of step with when comparing someone or something with a group, trend or set of ideas.

4. Out of breath

Meaning: breathing quickly and with difficulty, usually after physical activity

• By the time I reached the top of the stairs, I was completely out of breath.
• Why are you so out of breath? Have you been running?

The opposite expression is get your breath back.

5. Out of context

Meaning: presented without the surrounding information needed to understand the original meaning correctly

• The actor complained that his comments had been taken out of context.
• A single sentence can sound very different when it is quoted out of context.

The common collocations are:

• take something out of context
• quote someone out of context

6. Out of control

Meaning: impossible or difficult to manage, direct or stop

• The car went out of control and crashed into a wall.
• House prices are getting out of control in some large cities.

7. Out of curiosity

Meaning: because you are curious or interested in discovering something

• Out of curiosity, I looked up the history of the old building.
• She opened the box out of curiosity, even though she had been told not to touch it.

This phrase explains the reason or motivation behind an action.

8. Out of line

Meaning: behaving in a way that is inappropriate, unacceptable or disrespectful

• His comments about her appearance were completely out of line.
• You were out of line when you shouted at the receptionist.

The expression can also have a literal meaning, referring to something that is not correctly positioned in a row or line.

• One of the chairs was slightly out of line with the others.

9. Out of luck

Meaning: unlucky or unable to get what you want

• We tried to buy tickets at the door, but we were out of luck because the concert was sold out.
• Anyone hoping for warm weather this weekend may be out of luck.

A common informal expression is:

• You’re out of luck!

10. Out of date

Meaning: no longer modern, accurate, valid or safe to use

• This information is out of date and needs to be revised.
• Your passport is out of date, so you will have to renew it.

When talking about ideas, fashions and technology, outdated is also commonly used.

• Their website looks rather outdated.

11. Out of jealousy

Meaning: because of jealousy

• She criticised her colleague out of jealousy.
• He spread the rumour out of jealousy after she received the promotion.

Similar expressions include:

• out of anger
• out of fear
• out of kindness
• out of respect

12. Out of play

Meaning: outside the playing area or no longer involved in a game

• The defender kicked the ball out of play.
• Once the ball has gone out of play, the referee stops the match.

This expression is mainly used when talking about sports.

13. Out of work

Meaning: unemployed and without a job

• Greg has been out of work for nearly six months.
• Thousands of people were left out of work when the factory closed.

Be careful not to confuse out of work with off work.

Out of work means unemployed.

Off work means temporarily absent from your job, often because of illness or holiday.

• Martin has been out of work since January.
• Martin is off work today because he has a cold.

14. Out of action

Meaning: temporarily unable to work, function or participate in an activity

• Maria injured her knee and was out of action for several weeks.
• The lift will be out of action until the repairs are completed.

The phrase can refer to both people and machines.

15. Out of bounds

Meaning: not permitted to be entered, visited or used

• The laboratory is out of bounds to unauthorised visitors.
• That part of the beach has been declared out of bounds because of dangerous currents.

The usual structure is:

be out of bounds to someone

• The staff room is out of bounds to students.

16. Out of doors

Meaning: outside rather than inside a building

• We ate out of doors because the weather was so pleasant.
• The children spend most of the summer out of doors.

This expression is correct but sounds slightly old-fashioned. In everyday English, people are more likely to say outdoors.

• We ate outdoors.

17. Out of favour

Meaning: no longer liked, supported, approved of or popular

• The politician fell out of favour after the scandal.
• Traditional office layouts have gone out of favour in many modern companies.

The expression is often used with fall, go or be:

• fall out of favour
• go out of favour
• be out of favour

18. Out of hours

Meaning: outside the usual opening or working hours of a business or organisation

• Patients can call this number if they need medical advice out of hours.
• The company provides an out-of-hours emergency service.

This expression is especially common in British English.

When it comes before a noun, it is usually hyphenated:

• an out-of-hours appointment
• an out-of-hours service

19. Out of order

Meaning: not working correctly

• The ticket machine is out of order.
• Unfortunately, the lift is still out of order.

The phrase can also describe behaviour that is unacceptable or against the rules.

• His behaviour during the meeting was completely out of order.

20. Out of place

Meaning 1: uncomfortable because you do not feel that you belong in a particular situation

• Everyone else was wearing formal clothes, so I felt rather out of place in my jeans.
• She felt out of place at the expensive business dinner.

Meaning 2: unsuitable or inappropriate in a particular situation

• His joke seemed out of place during such a serious discussion.
• The modern building looks out of place among the old houses.

21. Out of season

Meaning 1: outside the time of year when a particular fruit, vegetable or food is naturally available

• Strawberries are usually more expensive when they are out of season.
• It is difficult to find fresh peaches out of season.

Meaning 2: outside the busiest tourist period

• We prefer travelling out of season because hotels are cheaper and the beaches are quieter.

22. Out of sight

Meaning: no longer visible or in a place where someone cannot see you or it

• The boat slowly disappeared out of sight.
• As soon as the house was out of sight, the children began to run.

You may also hear the expression:

• Out of sight, out of mind.

This proverb suggests that we tend to forget people or things when we do not see them regularly.

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Common Grammar Patterns

Many of these prepositional phrases with out follow the verb be:

The printer is out of order.

He has been out of work for months.

The area is out of bounds.

Others frequently follow verbs describing change:

• get out of hand
• go out of control
• fall out of favour
• go out of date
• disappear out of sight

Learning the complete collocation will help you use these expressions more accurately.

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Practice Exercise

Complete each sentence with a suitable phrase from the lesson.

1. I ran all the way to the station and arrived completely __________.
2. The manager’s remarks were taken __________ by several newspapers.
3. This computer has been __________ since yesterday.
4. The discussion became heated and quickly got __________.
5. We travelled to Greece __________ because the hotels were much cheaper.
6. The old safety information is now seriously __________.
7. After losing his job, Peter was __________ for almost a year.
8. Visitors are not allowed into the storage area because it is __________.
9. I only asked about her salary __________.
10. The player accidentally kicked the ball __________.
11. The politician gradually fell __________ with the public.
12. I felt completely __________ because everyone else knew one another.

Answers: 1. out of breath, 2. out of context, 3. out of action / out of order, 4. out of hand, 5. out of season, 6. out of date, 7. out of work, 8. out of bounds, 9. out of curiosity, 10. out of play, 11. out of favour, 12. out of place

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Conversation Questions

Try to answer these questions using the prepositional phrases with out from the lesson.

1. What kinds of activities leave you out of breath?
2. Have you ever read a comment that had been taken out of context?
3. Have you ever seen a situation get out of hand?
4. What technology do you think is becoming out of date?
5. Have you ever felt out of place at a social event?
6. Do you prefer travelling during the main holiday season or out of season?
7. Have you ever bought a book that later went out of print?
8. What places are usually out of bounds to the general public?
9. Have you ever done something simply out of curiosity?
10. What would you do if your phone were out of action for a week?
11. Which fashions have gone out of favour recently?
12. Do you enjoy eating out of doors when the weather is pleasant?

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Final Thoughts

These 22 prepositional phrases with out are useful in both spoken and written English. Some describe problems, such as out of control, out of order and out of work, while others explain reasons, such as out of curiosity and out of jealousy.

Do not try to memorise the words separately. Learn each expression as a complete phrase, notice the verbs that commonly accompany it and create your own example sentences. The more often you use these prepositional phrases with out, the more naturally they will become part of your active vocabulary.

Related posts:

• Prepositional Phrases with WORK 
• 23 Prepositional Phrases with IN 
• 30 Prepositional Phrases with ON 
• 50 Prepositional Phrases with AT 
• Prepositional Phrases for Formal Writing 
• 100 Collocations to Use in Daily Life 
• B2 First Vocabulary

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