stick out
Britishverb
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to project or cause to project
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informal (tr) to endure (something disagreeable) (esp in the phrase stick it out )
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informal to be extremely obvious
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(intr) to insist on (a demand), refusing to yield until it is met
the unions stuck out for a ten per cent wage rise
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Also, stick out a mile or like a sore thumb . Be very prominent or conspicuous, as in Dad's funny hat made him stick out in the crowd , or That purple house sticks out a mile , or John's lie sticks out like a sore thumb . The first term dates from the mid-1500s, the variants from the first half of the 1900s. The variant using thumb alludes to the propensity for holding an injured thumb stiffly, making it stand out (and thereby risking further injury).
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Continue doing something, endure something, as in I know you don't like it but you have to stick out the job for another month . [Late 1600s] A variant is stick it out , as in His new play's boring, but since he's my cousin we'd better stick it out . [Late 1800s] Also see stick it , def. 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.
Beside a hotel pool, heavily built Western men stick out in the remote southeastern DRC town of Kalemie.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
Even Knicks die-hards could be forgiven for not being able to stick out Game 4.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026
But while the new house looks different, it doesn’t stick out: It has the same footprint as the original cabin and the exterior has a lot of wood.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026
“The last one scared me,” Velasquez said as he watched left-fielder Moises Rodriguez stick out his glove running to catch it and start a victory celebration.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2026
David pops a Hot Pocket in the microwave, which makes us both stick out our tongues in disgust.
From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
