camp out

Idioms  

1. Sleep outdoors; also, stay somewhere for an unusually long time. For example, “We camped out in a field this night” (George Washington, Journal, March 18, 1748). In the early 1900s, the expression was extended to figurative uses, meaning simply “to stay somewhere for an unusually long time,” as in She camped out at the stage door, hoping for an autograph.

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Example Sentences

We arrive early and camp out at the back of a row of benches with a good view of the projector screen.

From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026

In-N-Out, which has fans willing to camp out in parking lots to attend grand openings, has added only four states to its footprint in the last decade.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026

As a fragile ceasefire holds, displaced Palestinian residents of Gaza City have returned to their homes only to find rubble, with many of them forced to camp out in makeshift shelters.

From Barron's • Oct. 16, 2025

Some are planning to camp out at his house overnight.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2025

Matt could hear Fidelito telling Chacho how much fun it was to camp out under the stars and how he used to do it with his abuelita after the hurricane blew away their house.

From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer