out-and-out

American  

[out-n-out, -nd-out] / ˈaʊt nˈaʊt, -ndˈaʊt /

adjective

1. complete; total; thoroughgoing.

   an out-and-out lie.

---

out-and-out British  

adjective

1. (prenominal) thoroughgoing; complete

---

Etymology

Origin of out-and-out

Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325

Explanation

Out-and-out means "absolute" or "complete," often in a bad way. A terrible party is an out-and-out disaster, and the people who said they’d bring cupcakes but didn’t told an out-and-out lie. The adjective out-and-out is particularly useful for providing emphasis, often in a negative way but not always. For example, you can call your favorite teacher an out-and-out hero, or describe a crooked politician as an out-and-out criminal. An angry English teacher might call a copied paper an out-and-out case of plagiarism, and you might bake a cake for your best friend's birthday that's an out-and-out masterpiece. If someone steals it, she’s an out-and-out cake thief.

Example Sentences

"Because there's not been an out-and-out left-back, it's an opportunity for someone. Every single other position you can pretty much say 'that's their first choice'," she added.

From BBC • Mar. 1, 2026

And so he employs other tools: the hunch, the educated guess, even out-and-out speculation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

But after years of dabbling in pop and hip-hop, Yungblud seemed to reintroduce himself with the widely praised “Changes” performance as an out-and-out rocker.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 5, 2025

In front of Wirtz, Ektike has the makings of a genuine, out-and-out centre forward Liverpool simply did not have before because of Darwin Nunez's shortcomings.

From BBC • Aug. 10, 2025

Also, you’ll find out soon enough that John distorts—when he isn’t out-and-out lying.

From "The Pigman" by Paul Zindel