out-and-out

adjective

Complete, utter.

“an out-and-out lie”

Similar
all-outdownrightflat-outoutrightabjectfrightfulabsoluteprize
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

adjectiveout-and-out (not comparable)
  1. attributivenot comparableComplete, utter.

    an out-and-out lie

    4 more examples

    He is an out-and-out idiot.

    We are singled out for meetings by other heterosexaul ^([sic]) women, approved by the superintendent, to gripe about us as lesbians. They are trying to change us, to pick our brains and force their beliefs on us. It is out and out abuse.

    1983 December 10, Mike Riegle, quoting Lorrie Ong and Jackie Jackson, “Sexual Politics of "Crime": Inside and Out”, in Gay Community News, volume 11, number 21, page 5

    I'm sure most of the people in this room will share the same view, but even as an out-and-out atheist one can't help noticing that the role of a god has had an enormously profound impact on human history over many, many centuries.

    1998, Douglas Adams, speech at Cambridge, UK

    And if that is my only criticism, then these trains are pretty well 'specced'. These are an out-and-out commuter train - fast, quiet, and well-designed for their role.

    2024 January 24, Pip Dunn, “Adventure on a GA Class 720 Aventra”, in RAIL, number 1001, page 53

    Synonyms: all-out, downright, flat-out, outright, abject, frightful, absolute, prize

  2. attributivenot comparableanimal husbandryThoroughly cross-bred; a breeding strategy esp. with poultry where new roosters are circulated yearly to maintain a mongrel flock.

    For my own part I would sooner eat bread-and-cheese and know myself the possessor of an out-and-out horse, than sell him for the privilege of dining with the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen every day in the year.

    1840 May, Vol XXI Second Series, The Sporting Magazine

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveComplete, utter.

Similar
all-outdownrightflat-outoutrightabjectfrightfulabsoluteprizecleanarrantcategoriccategoricalcompleteconsummatedecideddownrightfullfull-blownfull-borefull-on

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivecomplete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers

Similar
absolutedownrightrankright-downsheercomplete
Also see
abjectabsolutearrantcompletecompletelydownrightrankright-downroot and branchsheerstraight-outsublimethoroughgoingtotalwhole-ass

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Bulgarian пълен, стопроцентов
  • пълен (pălen)complete
  • стопроцентов (stoprocentov)complete
Chinese Mandarin 完全的
  • 完全的complete
German durch und durch
  • durch und durchcomplete
Greek εντελώς, ολοκληρωτικά
  • εντελώς (entelós)complete
  • ολοκληρωτικά (oloklirotiká)complete
  • πέρα για πέρα (péra gia péra)complete
Irish amach is amach
  • amach is amachcomplete
Italian spaccato
  • spaccatocomplete
Polish całkowity, kompletny
  • całkowitycomplete
  • kompletnycomplete
Scottish Gaelic a-muigh is a-mach
  • a-muigh is a-machcomplete
Spanish a carta cabal, de tomo y lomo
  • a carta cabalcomplete
  • de tomo y lomocomplete
  • puro y durocomplete
  • plenocomplete
  • de aúpacomplete
Swedish ren, fullständig
  • rencomplete
  • fullständigcomplete
  • fullkomligcomplete
Cite this entry
APA

out-and-out. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/out-and-out

MLA

“out-and-out.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/out-and-out. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “out-and-out,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/out-and-out.

Source: out-and-out on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.