grow out of — become too big for
phrasal verbB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
To become too large or tall to fit into something, especially clothes or shoes, as you get older.
Say it like a native
Textbook She has become too large for her winter coat.
Native She's grown out of her winter coat.
'Grow out of' is the natural phrase for a child outgrowing clothes. The formal version is wordy.
Pattern: grow out of + noun
In use
- My son has grown out of all his shoes again.daily life
- When I was a child, I used to get new uniforms every year because I would quickly grow out of the old ones.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ He grew out from his shoes.
✓ He grew out of his shoes.
It's 'grow out OF', not 'out from'.
Common collocations
grow out of + clothes— his shoes, her coat, that jacket, everything
Don't confuse it
Not about changing habits or interests—this sense is only about physical size.
Related
- grow out of (stop a childish habit) — Another meaning of 'grow out of' is 'stop a childish habit'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.