# space out

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/space-out
Updated: 2026-10-23

## Definition

to stop paying attention to what is happening around you because you are thinking about something else or feeling tired.

For teachers: to experience a temporary lapse in concentration or awareness, often characterized by a blank stare or daydreaming. Intransitive and informal in register.

## Examples

- I'm sorry, I spaced out for a second.
- I always space out during long meetings when the topic doesn't involve my department.
- The witness appeared to space out during the cross-examination, leading the judge to ask if he required a brief recess.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I spaced out the movie." but "I spaced out during the movie." — the verb is intransitive in this sense and cannot take a direct object; a preposition like 'during' is needed to link it to an event.

## Usage notes

- usually used without an object to describe a sudden loss of focus.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'daydream' (which implies a specific fantasy) and 'zone out' (a very close synonym); 'space out' often implies a more vacant or empty mental state.

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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.