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to blurt out

to blurt out

42 3.9
Say something suddenly without thinking
  • phrasal verb
  • /blɜrt aʊt/
  • Informal
translation icon : soltar
  • You expect me to just blurt it all out?

You can't just blurt out your whole life like I'm doing right now.

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Examples

  • "Thank you very much," I blurted out, "but I don't go to church."

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Horrified, I heard myself blurt it out.

  • I just blurted it out.

  • Johnny raised his hand and blurted out a question about number 3.

    Academic text (2007)
  • Please taste each drink and immediately blurt out what flavor you think it is.

  • I don't know what made me blurt it out like that.

  • "At this, Joe blurted out, "We didn't do anything to you."

    Academic text (2009)
  • In my desperation, I blurted out, "I want you to make me cry at the concert!"

    Academic text (2014)
  • I'm sorry, I didn't mean to just blurt that out.

  • In a moment of excitement, she couldn't help but blurt out the surprise party plans before they were finalized.

Synonyms

to exclaim
vsto blurt out
81 3.4

Say something suddenly and loudly because you feel surprised or excited

is sudden impulsive speech not limited to loud exclamations
to blurt
vsto blurt out
59 4.8

To say something suddenly without thinking because you feel excited or nervous

is the same idea expressed as a two word phrasal form
to interject
vsto blurt out
39 6.5

To say something quickly to interrupt someone

is sudden speech from impulse rather than mainly an interruption
to spit out
vsto blurt out
  • Informal
15 4.4

To say words quickly and angrily to show dislike

is sudden impulsive speech that is not always forceful or angry
to rattle off
vsto blurt out
  • Informal
11 4.8

To say a list of things quickly without thinking much

is sudden impulsive speech rather than practiced quick recitation
to burst out
vsto blurt out
9 3.3

Suddenly say something or make a loud sound

is sudden speech without needing a strong emotional trigger
to shoot from the hip
vsto blurt out
  • Informal
6 8.1

To speak or act quickly without thinking carefully

is limited to sudden speech rather than general quick action
to shoot one's mouth off
vsto blurt out
  • Informal
5 8.0

To say things carelessly or proudly without thinking about the result

is sudden and impulsive but not necessarily boastful
to ejaculate
vsto blurt out
2 8.7

To say something suddenly and loudly because of surprise or strong feeling

is sudden impulsive speech rather than specifically loud surprise
to pop off
vsto blurt out
  • Informal
1 8.1

To suddenly say something angry without warning

is sudden speech but does not require anger or mood change
to shoot from the lip
vsto blurt out
  • Informal
1 8.9

To speak quickly without thinking and risk upsetting people

is sudden speech without a strong focus on offending others
to blurp
vsto blurt out
  • Informal
1 9.5

To make a short silly sound suddenly

is sudden speech expressing words rather than accidental noises
to shoot off at the mouth
vsto blurt out
  • Informal
1 9.4

Say things quickly without thinking that may hurt people or make you sorry later

is sudden speech without strong emphasis on causing regret
to blunder out
vsto blurt out
  • Informal
7.4

To say something quickly and carelessly without thinking

is about sudden impulse but not about clumsy delivery
to shot from the lip
vsto blurt out
  • Informal
9.9

To say something quickly without thinking

is sudden and impulsive but does not stress lack of restraint
to babble out
vsto blurt out
  • Informal
8.0

To tell secrets without thinking

is sudden impulsive speech but not specifically about revealing secrets

Antonyms

210 5.1

Refuse to give something someone wants or needs

4 3.5

To pause and imagine how your words will affect others before you say them

How Impulsive

to blurt out
  • Informal
42 3.9
to exclaim
81 3.4
to say
1.0

Surface Forms

blurt out infinitive
blurted out past participle
blurting out present participle
blurts out third person singular

Morphology

blurt + out

The verb 'blurt' already encodes 'to say something suddenly and carelessly' and the particle 'out' simply marks the outward expression; the combined sense is directly derivable from the constituent meanings and follows a common verb+particle pattern. A B1 learner who knows both 'blurt' and 'out' would therefore readily infer 'to say something suddenly and impulsively', so the item is transparent.

Etymology

Blurt out may come from the image of words suddenly bursting from the mouth. Imagine trying to keep a secret but a sound pops free—blurt shows the sudden noise and out shows it leaving you, so the phrase means 'to say something suddenly and without thinking'.