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• way out
  way out

  noun

  the means by which a predicament, dilemma, etc., may be solved.
• way-out
  way-out

  adjective

  advanced in style or technique.

way out

¹ American  

noun

1. the means by which a predicament, dilemma, etc., may be solved.

2. Chiefly British. an exit or exit door, as in a theater.

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way-out ² American  

[wey-out] / ˈweɪˈaʊt /

adjective

Informal.

1. advanced in style or technique.

   way-out jazz.

2. exotic or esoteric in character.

   way-out theories on nutrition.

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way-out British  

adjective

1. extremely unconventional or experimental; avant-garde

2. excellent or amazing

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Etymology

Origin of way-out

1950–55; adj. use of way out far off; see way ², out

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

way out way-out

An old-school tip for finding new music: If Spotify’s algorithm makes you feel stuck in a musical rut, there’s an easy way out.

From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026

"There's no way out for us here. The only solution is a lasting peace agreement in Myanmar," Ullah said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026

“For the last few years, I thought I could buy my way out of this,” Newsom said with a shocking bit of honesty, pointing to all that budget money that has been invested.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

In the summer of 2022 Boris Johnson was on his way out, but still in office.

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026

There’s got to be another way out of the Park.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

When he won in Turin he instantly became a sensation — the way-out, pimpled, bandana-wearing face of Burton snowboards and whoever else wanted to write him a check.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 28, 2022

If you prefer your microbial monsters to be more way-out and weird, there are options aplenty beyond Romero’s fanatics and ghouls.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 13, 2020

This frolic on the wilder shores of mathematics, by astronomer David Darling and maths prodigy Agnijo Banerjee, aims to bolt the way-out to the day-to-day.

From Nature ● Jan. 15, 2018

On Wednesday France invited Hariri and his family to Paris, providing what French diplomats have described as a way-out for him to leave Saudi Arabia without any side losing face.

From Reuters ● Nov. 16, 2017

He comes to me with some way-out tale about how come and why.

From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison