# rent out

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/rent-out
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to let someone use something you own, like a house or a car, for a regular payment.

For teachers: to grant the use of property or equipment to a tenant or customer in exchange for periodic payment. The verb is transitive and specifically emphasizes the perspective of the owner or lessor.

## Examples

- They rent out their spare room to a student.
- After moving to the city, she decided to rent out her small cottage to tourists during the busy summer months.
- The investment firm manages a vast portfolio of commercial properties, which they rent out to tech startups on flexible, short-term leases to maximize their annual returns.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I rent out a room from my friend." but "I rent a room from my friend." — 'Rent out' is used for the person providing the property, not the person paying to use it.

## Usage notes

- The object can sit either after the particle or between the verb and the particle.
- Teaching tip: Contrast this with 'rent', which can describe both the owner's and the tenant's actions, whereas 'rent out' only applies to the owner.

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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.