outgoing
B1Neutral to formal (for 'departing' sense); neutral (for personality sense).
Definition
Meaning
Describing a person who is friendly, sociable, and enjoys meeting and talking to people.
1. (Of a person) leaving a position or office; departing. 2. (Of mail, communication, etc.) being sent or dispatched. 3. (Of a payment, cost, etc.) being paid out; expenditure.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The personality sense is the most frequent in everyday language. The 'departing' sense is often used in official or business contexts (e.g., outgoing president, outgoing flight). The 'expenditure' sense is primarily financial/accounting.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The 'departing' sense (e.g., outgoing mail) is slightly more common in American administrative contexts.
Connotations
Identical positive connotations for personality. Neutral for other senses.
Frequency
The personality sense is dominant in both varieties. The 'departing' sense is moderately common in specific contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be + outgoingseem + outgoingfind someone + outgoingthe + outgoing + noun (e.g., president, mail)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The life and soul of the party (related concept for personality)”
- “Out with the old, in with the new (related to departing sense)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to departing personnel (outgoing CEO), communications (outgoing correspondence), or finances (outgoing cash flow).
Academic
Used in psychology/sociology to describe personality traits. In economics, describes expenditures.
Everyday
Overwhelmingly used to describe a sociable personality.
Technical
In networking/telecoms: outgoing traffic/call. In logistics: outgoing shipments.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- Her outgoing nature made her perfect for the customer service role.
- Please use the tray for all outgoing post.
American English
- He's very outgoing and has no trouble making friends.
- The outgoing mayor gave her final speech yesterday.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Maria is very outgoing and has many friends.
- The outgoing letters are on the desk.
- For an outgoing person, he felt surprisingly nervous at the big party.
- The outgoing manager trained her replacement.
- His outwardly outgoing demeanour concealed a more reflective private side.
- All outgoing flights have been delayed due to the storm.
- The company's outgoing cash flow exceeded projections, causing concern for the accountants.
- She balanced her naturally outgoing personality with a professional reserve in meetings.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of someone who is always going OUT to meet people → OUTGOING.
Conceptual Metaphor
PERSONALITY IS DIRECTION (an outgoing person's energy is directed outward towards others).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'уходящий' (departing) when the intended meaning is 'общительный' (sociable).
- The word is an adjective, not a verb form. 'He is outgoing' means 'Он общительный', not '*Он выходит'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'outgoing' as a verb (e.g., 'He is outgoing to the pub' – incorrect).
- Confusing 'outgoing' (sociable) with 'outstanding' (excellent).
- Misspelling as 'out-going' (hyphen is optional but less common in modern usage).
Practice
Quiz
In which context does 'outgoing' NOT typically describe a personality?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in its primary sense describing personality, 'outgoing' is a direct antonym of 'shy' or 'introverted'.
No, 'outgoing' is only an adjective. The verb form is 'to go out'. 'He is outgoing' is an adjective describing his personality, not an action.
They are very similar. 'Extroverted' is a more formal, psychological term. 'Outgoing' is more general and focuses on observable, friendly behaviour.
It is commonly used to refer to things being sent (e.g., 'Please find the outgoing invoice attached') or people leaving a role (e.g., 'Our outgoing team leader will introduce you').
Collections
Part of a collection
Personality Traits
B1 · 36 words · Describing character and personal qualities.