WordVale

reach out

to make contact or offer help

In Phrasal Verbs

In more detail

1. (verb) to extend your arm or hand toward something; to stretch to touch or grab something

2. (verb) to contact someone, usually to ask for help or communicate with them

3. (verb) to try to connect with or help someone, especially those who need support

Examples

• 1. She reached out her hand to help him up the stairs.
• 2. I will reach out to my manager about the project deadline.
• 3. The charity reaches out to homeless people in the community.

How to use reach out

Reach out has become very common in modern English, especially in professional and social contexts, to mean 'contact someone for communication or help.' It can be literal (physically extending an arm) but is increasingly used figuratively in business communication and community outreach. The expression is somewhat informal but widely accepted in professional writing.

Common phrases

• reach out to someone
• reach out for help
• reach out your hand
• reach out and touch
• reach out to the community

Synonyms

extend · stretch · contact · get in touch with · connect with

Opposites

withdraw · ignore · avoid

Word family

reach · reached · reaching · reacher

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use 'reach out' with prepositions other than 'to'—saying 'reach out for someone' when they mean to contact them is incorrect; use 'reach out to someone' instead.

Nearby in Phrasal Verbs

phase out, play down, ramp up, scale back, shrug off, single out

Keep going

How to remember the words you read · Spaced repetition, explained