Get out of meaning
Get out of means to avoid doing something you should do, often with an excuse. It can also mean to leave a car, a building, a bed or a place.
get out of something
get out of · got · getting
He always gets out of washing the dishes.
Get out of meanings and examples
3 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Avoid doing something you should do, often with an excuse
get out of something
- He always gets out of washing the dishes.
- I tried to get out of the meeting, but I couldn’t.
- You can’t get out of it now. You promised!
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2
Leave a car, a building, a bed or a place
get out of something
- Get out of the car slowly. There’s a bike coming.
- I couldn’t get out of bed this morning.
- We got out of the city before the traffic started.
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3
Receive something good from an activity or experience
get something out of
- I got a lot out of that course.
- What do you get out of running every day?
- She didn’t get much out of the trip.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use get out of in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is get out of separable?
Get out of is not separable: get out of the car, get out of it. When it means gain something, the thing you gain goes after get: get a lot out of the class.
Get out of the habit means stop doing something regularly: I’ve got out of the habit of running. The opposite is get into the habit.
Verb tenses for get out of
| Present | I get out of · she gets out of |
|---|---|
| Past | got out of |
| Present perfect | have got out of (US: have gotten out of) |
| -ing form | getting out of |
Common mistakes with get out of
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: He got out of to wash the car.
Right: He got out of washing the car.
After of, use the -ing form.
Wrong: She got out the meeting with a fake excuse.
Right: She got out of the meeting with a fake excuse.
Don’t drop of before the thing you avoid.
Wrong: I took a lot out of the course.
Right: I got a lot out of the course.
Get something out of means gain from it. Take a lot out of you means make you tired.
Synonyms and opposites of get out of
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- avoidthe general word, a bit more formal
- get away withdo something wrong and not be punished
- skipnot do or not go to something, often on purpose
Opposite
- face up todeal with something hard instead of avoiding it
- get intogo inside a car or building
Get out of quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1Tom said he was ill to ___ the school trip.
Get out of something means avoid it.
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2Choose the right sentence.
Use out of plus the -ing form.
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3What do you ___ yoga? Does it help your back?
Get something out of an activity means gain from it.
More phrasal verbs with get
All phrasal verbs with get, by level, with an exercise
19 phrasal verbs start with get. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
- get upA1get out of bed after you sleep
- get onA2go onto a bus, train, plane, boat or bike
- get offA2leave a bus, train, plane, boat or bike
- get backA2return home or to a place where you were before
- get inA2enter a car, a taxi, a building or a small space
- get outA2leave a car, a room or a building
- get intoA2go inside a car, a building or a small space
- get overB1feel better after an illness
- get alongB1like each other and be friendly
- get aroundB1travel or move from place to place
- get togetherB1meet other people, usually to spend time together
- get byB2manage to live or do something with just enough money, skill or help
- get throughB2pass an exam or reach the next stage of a competition
- get awayB2escape from a person or a place
- get away withB2do something wrong and not be punished for it
- get aheadB2be successful in your job or in life
- get on withB2start or continue doing something, especially work, after a pause
- get down toB2start doing something seriously and with full attention
Get out of FAQ
Questions people ask about get out of.
What does get out of here mean?
Said angrily, it means leave now. Said with a laugh, it means I don’t believe you! You won a car? Get out of here!
What is the difference between get out of and get away with?
Get out of something means avoid doing it, often with an excuse. Get away with something means do something wrong and not be punished.
What does get out of hand mean?
It means become hard to control: The party got out of hand and the neighbours called the police.
Use get out of in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.