stick out

verb

stuck out; sticking out; sticks out

intransitive verb

1

a

: to jut out : project

b

: to be prominent or conspicuous

2

: to be persistent (as in a demand or an opinion)

transitive verb

: endure, last entry 1

—often used with it

stuck it out to the end

Synonyms

• bag
• balloon
• beetle
• belly
• billow
• bulge
• bunch
• jut
• overhang
• poke
• pooch [chiefly dialect]
• pouch
• pout
• project
• protrude
• stand out
• start
• swell

Examples of stick out in a Sentence

no feet sticking out in the aisles, please

managed to stick out the whole race despite her bad knee

Recent Examples on the Web

However, the chapter about new revenue streams stuck out as strange. —Matt Woosnam, The Athletic, 21 Dec. 2024

Within the Nasdaq 100, MicroStrategy sticks out like a sore thumb from its peers. —Edan Yago, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024

The Christina on the Coast star, 41, shared a photo showing the installation of her towering Christmas tree, complete with a pair of unfamiliar legs sticking out from under the branches. —Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 3 Dec. 2024

The West Coast weed market is notoriously saturated — and Jay Z’s brand stuck out in a not-altogether-positive manner. —Madeline Fitzgerald, Quartz, 3 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1640, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

stick out

verb

1

a

: to extend out : project

b

: to be noticeable

you will certainly stick out with that red hat and coat

2

: to put up with : endure

stuck it out to the bitter end