coming out
Americannoun
-
a debut into society, especially a formal debut by a debutante.
-
one's acknowledgment and public disclosure of a sexual orientation or gender identity that does not conform to socially defined norms.
How did your parents respond to your coming out?
-
an acknowledgment of a surprising interest or hobby, or an unexpected identification as part of a fandom, a supporter of a particular political party, etc.
Etymology
Origin of coming out
First recorded in 1805–15; noun use of verb phrase come out; see -ing 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When demand for capital is growing, with highly rated corporate-bond issuance likely to hit a record in 2026 and more tech IPOs coming out, that demand for capital can also pressure interest rates higher.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
“There was a lady actually coming out from the bus, she just walked down, and they took her,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
“Anytime you’re trying to win for the first time, it’s awfully difficult, especially for a young guy coming out of college,” Scheffler said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
He said: "Unfortunately, having many more visitors coming out to the park, we're pretty clear that this is going to be an ongoing problem and potentially an increasing problem."
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
But then she coughed, water coming out of her mouth as her body rushed downstream.
From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
