Meaning & use
out of the woods
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
no longer in danger or difficulty; past the worst part of a problem
Grammar: Used mainly in the phrase 'not out of the woods yet' or 'out of the woods'. It describes a state, not an action.
Patterns
- be out of the woods
- not be out of the woods yet
- get out of the woods
The patient is recovering, but the doctors say she is not out of the woods yet.
After months of financial trouble, the company is finally out of the woods.
We won't be out of the woods until the last debt is paid.
Common combinations
- not out of the woods yet
- The storm has passed, but we're not out of the woods yet.
- finally out of the woods
- After two years of treatment, he's finally out of the woods.
- get out of the woods
- It will take more than one good month to get out of the woods financially.
Synonyms and how they differ
- in the clear
- Means no longer suspected or in danger, often used for legal or medical situations; 'out of the woods' is more about a continuing process.
- safe
- A general word for being protected from harm; 'out of the woods' suggests you have passed a dangerous stage but may still have problems.
Opposites
Commonly confused: out of the woods or out of the wood?
out of the woods vs out of the wood
The correct phrase uses the plural 'woods'. 'Out of the wood' is not standard English.
Practice
Choose the best completion: 'The worst of the illness is over, but she's not ___ yet.'
Choose one answer.
The fixed idiom is 'out of the woods', always with 'the' and plural 'woods'. The other options are grammatically incorrect or not standard phrases.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “out of the woods”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.