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Glite Dictionary
to get out of someone's face

to get out of someone's face

8.6
To leave someone alone when you bother them
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : dejar en paz
  • Now, get out of my face!

Examples

  • Get out of my face!

    The Juror (1996)

  • Get that camera out of my face, David!

    CHEST (2022)

  • Get your hand out of my face.

    The Secret Kingdom (2023)

  • Get out of my face.

    ATM (2012)

  • Get out of my face, bro.

    Shooting Stars (2023)

  • I asked him to get out of my face because I needed some space.

  • Whenever she gets upset, I tell her to get out of my face for a while.

  • It's hard to concentrate with all the noise; I need you to get out of my face.

Synonyms

to back off
vsto get out of someone's face
  • Informal
356 2.8

Move away from someone, or stop taking part in something

asks for leaving someone alone rather than merely moving away
to shove it
vsto get out of someone's face
  • Offensive
38 9.9

Tell someone angrily to go away and that you will not accept their idea

is a blunt insult rather than a request to stop crowding
to butt out
vsto get out of someone's face
  • Informal
25 8.9

To stop getting involved in other people's business

demands leaving someone alone specifically when they feel harassed
to get out of someone's sight
vsto get out of someone's face
  • Informal
10 4.9

Leave a person because they are angry with you

asks leaving to stop being bothered rather than leaving because of anger
to get stuffed
vsto get out of someone's face
  • Offensive
2 9.9

Tell someone rudely to go away or leave you alone

is more about angry refusal than asking for space
to get out of someone's hair
vsto get out of someone's face
  • Informal
1 6.3

To stop bothering someone so they can work or think

asks someone to stop crowding or harassing another person
to get bent
vsto get out of someone's face
  • Offensive
1 9.9

Tell someone to leave in a rude, angry way

focuses on stopping annoyance rather than insulting someone
to stay out of someone's beeswax
vsto get out of someone's face
  • Slang
9.9

To not ask about or get involved in someone's private matters

focuses on personal privacy rather than physical crowding

Antonyms

to bother
∞ 1.0

To annoy or disturb someone

to intrude
105 4.4

To go into a place or conversation where you are not welcome

How Forceful

to get out of someone's face
  • Informal
8.6
to knock it off
  • Informal
321 8.1
to back off
  • Informal
356 2.8

Surface Forms

get out of someone's face infinitive
getting out of someone's face present participle
gets out of someone's face third person singular
got out of someone's face past
got out of someone's face past participle

Morphology

get + out + of + someone's + face

The verb phrase 'get out' clearly signals leaving or moving away, so combined with 'someone's face' (where 'face' is used metaphorically to mean personal space or direct confrontation) the overall meaning 'leave someone alone / stop bothering them' is partially inferable. However, the use of 'face' in this non-literal, confrontational sense and the colloquial structure make the sense somewhat idiomatic and not fully predictable for a B1 learner who only knows the literal meanings.

Etymology

Get out of someone's face comes from the literal picture of a person standing so close that their face is right in yours and you feel crowded. That's why telling someone to get out of your face means 'stop bothering me' or 'leave me alone'.