coming out
Americannoun
-
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?
-
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.
Bart Verbruggen: Struggled when coming out to claim the ball for Chelsea's opening goal, but made several good saves later in the match.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
The words coming out of the car speakers were hers, written some two decades before, but she was hearing them delivered by Whitney Houston for the first time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
And in 2014, he penned a Bloomberg Businessweek essay coming out as gay, becoming the first Fortune 500 CEO to do so.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026
There were the Oreos that became boycott fodder after the brand released an ad centered on a young man coming out to his family.
From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2026
“You are correct that an abolitionist wants to bring an end to slavery across the land,” Aunt Kitty said, her words coming out tight and clipped.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
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.
