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

Example Sentences

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

Both Rooney and Heskey feel the apparent lack of out-and-out number nines coming through is a sign of the way the game has gone, not just in England but globally.

From BBC • Nov. 14, 2025

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

"We struggle with the quality of our land type, so we tend to go for out-and-out bulk volume shed fillers," he says.

From BBC • Aug. 3, 2025

At first I meant to stretch the truth, but then I out-and-out lied to my sisters.

From "P.S. Be Eleven" by Rita Williams-Garcia