grow out of: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral; common in everyday spoken and written language.
Quick answer
What does “grow out of” mean?
To cease a habit, interest, or need as a natural result of physical or mental development.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To cease a habit, interest, or need as a natural result of physical or mental development.
To become too large or physically mature for clothing, shoes, or other possessions. To develop or arise from something as a source.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant syntactic or semantic differences. 'Outgrow' (single verb) is also common in both varieties for the first two meanings.
Connotations
Equally neutral/conventional in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally common in both British and American English.
Grammar
How to Use “grow out of” in a Sentence
[Subject] + grow out of + [noun phrase (habit/clothing)][Subject] + grow out of + [gerund phrase]It grew out of + [noun phrase (discussion/need)]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “grow out of” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He grew out of his silly nickname at university.
- The children have grown out of all their jumpers.
American English
- Most kids grow out of that phase by age ten.
- She grew out of her sneakers really fast.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The new strategy grew out of extensive market analysis.
Academic
This theory grew out of earlier work in cognitive psychology.
Everyday
She grew out of her trainers in just six months.
Technical
The software patch grew out of user feedback on the beta version.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “grow out of”
- *He grew out his old jeans. (Missing 'of')
- *I hope to grow out this fear. (Missing 'of')
- Confusing with 'grow into' (to become large enough for).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an inseparable phrasal verb. You cannot say 'grow a habit out of'.
'Outgrow' is a single verb that covers the first two main meanings (habits, clothes). 'Grow out of' is more common in speech. 'Outgrow' can sometimes sound slightly more formal or concise.
Yes, but it implies leaving something behind. 'She grew out of her shyness' is positive, but the shyness itself is framed as an immature trait.
Yes, especially for the 'clothing' meaning. E.g., 'He's growing out of his shoes so quickly!'
To cease a habit, interest, or need as a natural result of physical or mental development.
Grow out of is usually neutral; common in everyday spoken and written language. in register.
Grow out of: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɡrəʊ ˈaʊt əv/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɡroʊ ˈaʊt əv/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It was just a phase he grew out of.”
- “The project grew out of a casual conversation.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a child's foot literally GROWing so big it pops OUT OF their shoe. That's the core image.
Conceptual Metaphor
DEVELOPMENT/CHANGE IS PHYSICAL GROWTH (for habits); SIZE INCREASE IS GROWTH (for clothes).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'grow out of' CORRECTLY?