Definition

Verb (transitive and intransitive): 1. To cause someone to feel intense disgust or revulsion. 2. (Informal) To be or become disgusted or revolted.

Usage

The verb "gross out" is primarily used in informal contexts to describe the act of causing disgust or the experience of feeling disgusted. It often refers to reactions to something physically repulsive, shocking, or in poor taste.

Examples

• Transitive use (to cause disgust):
  • The graphic details of the surgery grossed me out.
  • His table manners are so bad they gross out everyone at the dinner party.
• Intransitive/Reflexive use (to feel disgust):
  • I gross out every time I see someone eat with their mouth open.
  • She grossed out at the sight of the moldy food.

Advanced Usage

• "To be grossed out": This passive/descriptive construction is very common to describe the state of feeling disgust.
  • I was totally grossed out by the slimy texture.
  • Are you grossed out? You look pale.

Variants and Related Words

• Gross (adjective): Disgusting, repulsive.
  • That's so gross!
• Gross (verb, transitive): To earn a total sum before deductions.
  • The film grossed over $100 million. (Note: This is a completely separate and formal meaning.)

Synonyms

• Disgust
• Revolt
• Nauseate
• Sicken
• Repulse

Phrasal Verbs

• Gross someone out: The standard form, as defined and exemplified above.

Related Idioms

• Turn one's stomach: To cause nausea or disgust.
  • The smell turned my stomach.
• Make one's skin crawl: To cause a feeling of fear, disgust, or unease.
  • That horror movie made my skin crawl.

Verb

1. lose one's nerve
   • When he saw the accident, he freaked out
2. fill with distaste
   • This spoilt food disgusts me