# head out

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/head-out
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to leave a place to go somewhere else.

For teachers: to depart or begin a journey; often used to signal the intention to leave a current location for a specific destination.

## Examples

- We should head out now to avoid the traffic.
- After finishing their coffee, they decided to head out and explore the city center.
- The expedition team prepared to head out into the wilderness despite the warnings of an approaching storm.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I am heading out the house." but "I am heading out of the house." — when 'out' is used with a specific starting point like 'the house', the preposition 'of' is required, though 'head out' alone is fine.

## Usage notes

- often followed by 'to' or 'for' when mentioning a destination.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'leave' (more neutral) and 'set off' (implies a longer journey); 'head out' is very common in casual spoken English to announce a departure.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.