"flat out" means: Complete, total, downright.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
flat out
Complete, total, downright.
Seen in the wild
5 citations · last seen May 2026
Etymology timeline
Born ~2023 · 1 year of recorded useSeen in the wild
BlueskyMay 2026
I think I've noticed a bit of that tension with some of my rep's staffers in DC. I can't be sure, because obviously they won't flat out say they disagree with or are frustrated with him the way I am, but I think there…
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BlueskyMay 2026
The endless stream of bad faith delaying motions by Trump counsel and a judiciary that was too deferential or flat out corrupt (cannon dismissing documents case) ended in tragedy.
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BlueskyMay 2026
I really hate how after I used the analogy a couple of times Trump actually began flat out saying it.
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BlueskyMay 2026
Chris Mason on @BBC just flat out defended Farage’s massive grift.
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BlueskyMay 2026
Not flat out laughing at "this is a separate and distinct project", even by Rupar, is a dead giveaway.
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Definitions
Australia
#1·Apr 27, 2026AUS
Complete, total, downright.
For parents
"flat out" means: Complete, total, downright.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
"flat out" means: Complete, total, downright.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
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Australia
#2·Apr 27, 2026AUS
(idiomatic) At top speed.
After 10 minutes of running flat out, he was out of breath.
Heard in the wild
“I think I've noticed a bit of that tension with some of my rep's staffers in DC. I can't be sure, because obviously they won't flat out say they disagree with or are frustrated with him the way I am, but I think there's something to what you're saying here.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“The endless stream of bad faith delaying motions by Trump counsel and a judiciary that was too deferential or flat out corrupt (cannon dismissing documents case) ended in tragedy.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“I really hate how after I used the analogy a couple of times Trump actually began flat out saying it.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Chris Mason on @BBC just flat out defended Farage’s massive grift.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Not flat out laughing at "this is a separate and distinct project", even by Rupar, is a dead giveaway.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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Australia
#3·Apr 27, 2026AUS
(Australian) Lazy, sleeping.
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Australia
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Other words near "flat out" (F)
flat iron steakflatlandflatlanderflatletflatlineflatmateflat passerflat rateflat stickflat storeflat strapflattard
Browse all slang words starting with F.