coming out

American  

[kuhm-ing-aut] / ˈkʌm ɪŋˈaʊt /

Or coming-out

noun

1. a debut into society, especially a formal debut by a debutante.

2. 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?

3. 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.

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Etymology

Origin of coming out

First recorded in 1805–15; noun use of verb phrase come out; see -ing ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

coming out

“It’s always fun going into a road stadium, especially in a postseason environment, and coming out with a win and seeing how many people hang around after the game.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026

“I’m never considering myself an equal to Toni Morrison. I’m not interested in coming up to her shadow or coming out of her influence,” he says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026

The share coming out of employees’ paychecks shot up even faster—to $7,471, an increase of 9% from 2025.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026

“Everybody in the team is very confident in his ability and the stuff that’s coming out of his hand and doing his job,” Skubal said of Glasnow.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

Mrs. Bessermann appears in the doorway, Cesia and Dziusia with her, and I even see Monek and Sala, and Danuta’s sleepy face following Henek, coming out of the second bedroom.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

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