# leave sb/sth out

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/leave-sb-sth-out
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to not include someone or something in an activity, list, or group.

For teachers: to omit a person or item from a collection, group, or sequence, either intentionally or by oversight.

## Examples

- Please don't leave me out of the game.
- She felt sad when her friends left her out of the party plans.
- The editor decided to leave out the final chapter to ensure the manuscript met the publisher's strict length requirements.

## Pitfalls

- Not "They left out him." but "They left him out." — when the object is a pronoun like 'him' or 'it', it must go between the verb and the particle.

## Usage notes

- often used with the preposition 'of' when specifying the group or activity.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'exclude' (more formal) and 'forget' (implies only accidental omission); 'leave out' is the standard neutral choice for both accidental and purposeful exclusion.

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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.