coming out
Americannoun
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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?
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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.
"We've not got tickets but obviously we were still coming out," James said.
From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026
"If they do, I have no choice but to charge a 100 percent tariff on all champagnes and all wines coming out of France," he was quoted as saying.
From Barron's • Jun. 15, 2026
She was just coming out as a lesbian to her family, and recalls seeing a little girl with her two moms at a protest carrying a sign that read “My moms take me bowling.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 13, 2026
“It seems like every food manufacturer has a product coming out with enhanced protein,” said Brian Walton, an economist at Bozic, a dairy-market data-aggregation hub.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026
I open my mouth just like they did, hoping they’ll think my trembling is a side effect of just coming out of stasis.
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
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.
