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out-and-out
adjective
: being such completely at all times, in every way, or from every point of view
an out-and-out fraud
Synonyms
- absolute
- all-out
- arrant
- blank
- blooming [chiefly British]
- bodacious [Southern & Midland]
- categorical
- categoric
- clean
- complete
- consummate
- crashing
- damn
- damned
- dead
- deadly
- definite
- downright
- dreadful
- fair
- flat
- flat-out
- outright
- perfect
- plumb
- profound
- pure
- rank
- regular
- sheer
- simple
- stark
- stone
- straight-out
- thorough
- thoroughgoing
- total
- unadulterated
- unalloyed
- unconditional
- unmitigated
- unqualified
- utter
- very
Examples of out-and-out in a Sentence
an out-and-out cheater at every game she plays
her story is not just an exaggeration, it's an out-and-out lie
mounted an out-and-out effort to find the lost child
Recent Examples on the Web
Moreover, the three-chair turn performed the number with dazzling control and an out-and-out joy that warmed even my cold, cold heart.
—Charlie Mason, TVLine, 14 Oct. 2024
Four of those series involve rich white women and some kind of death shrouded in suspicion, if not an out-and-out murder mystery.
—Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 13 Sep. 2024
But across Europe, radical right-wingers – from authoritarian-minded populists to out-and-out Nazis – are wielding increasing influence on mainstream parties.
—Lenora Chu, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Sep. 2024
An interesting collection of white government officials, Black entrepreneurs, promoters and, frankly, out-and-out hustlers came together to put together this unsanctioned boxing match.
—Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for out-and-out
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Word History
First Known Use
1813, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near out-and-out
Cite this Entry
“Out-and-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/out-and-out. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
out-and-out
adjectiveˌau̇t-ᵊn-ˈ(d)au̇t
: being exactly what is stated : complete, thoroughgoing
an out-and-out crook
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