Walk out means to leave a room, a meeting or a film suddenly, usually in protest or because you're upset. It's also used for a strike: The workers walked out. With on, the meaning is harsher: walk out on someone means to abandon a person, a family or a partner.
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walk out (of + meeting/room/film); workers walk out (over + pay); walk out on + person/job
- Half the audience walked out of the film before the end.
- The nurses walked out over pay and long working hours.
- He walked out on his band two weeks before their first tour.
What changed
First versionSeveral parents walked out from the meeting in protest.
RevisionSeveral parents walked out of the meeting in protest.
After walk out, the place you leave is introduced with of, not from: walked out of the meeting. Only the preposition was changed in the correction.
Literally, walk out of the shop can simply mean leaving the shop. But when people leave a meeting, a play or a film early, walk out signals that they're upset or protesting: She walked out halfway through the meeting. If you just step outside for some air, say go out: I went out for some fresh air.
Your turn
Her husband ___ her and the kids when the baby was two.
Show the answer
walked out on — The husband left his wife and children, and to abandon a person is walk out on someone. Walked out of is for leaving a place, such as a room or a meeting, not people.
Describe a time when you or someone you know left a film, lecture or meeting early. Say why.
My friend walked out of the lecture after twenty minutes because the speaker just read his slides aloud.
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