spill out

phrasal verb

spilled out also spilt out; spilling out; spills out
: to fall, flow, or run over the edge of a container or to cause or allow (something) to fall, flow, or run over the edge of a container
The bag ripped open and the flour spilled out onto the floor.
The bag ripped open and spilled out its contents all over the floor.
She spilled the contents of her purse out on the table.
sometimes used figuratively
All his thoughts suddenly came spilling out.
He spilled his thoughts out to her.

Examples of spill out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The chaotic scene unfolded Saturday at around 2 a.m. in East Hollywood as people spilled out from the Vermont Hollywood nightclub. John Bacon, USA Today, 21 July 2025 Researchers suspect the gull made the first trip accidentally, after becoming trapped under a mesh-like tarp placed atop Recology’s 18-wheel garbage trucks to prevent food scraps from spilling out in transit. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 July 2025 Coco Bongo also has a waterfront pool and patio that spills out onto the beach, keeping the party alive any time of day. Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2025 But in destinations where cruise ships constantly spill out crowds and Airbnb-style rentals in city centers exacerbate a housing crisis that helped push residents to the outskirts of their own hometowns, the annual crush of visitors has become a point of conflict. Fiona Govan, CNN Money, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for spill out

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Cite this Entry

“Spill out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spill%20out. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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