Meaning & use
reaching out
Last updated
“reaching out” is a form of “reach out”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
phraseidiom
Contacting someone to offer help, ask for support, or start a conversation.
Grammar: Used as a verb phrase; the base form is 'reach out', often followed by 'to' and a person.
Patterns
- reaching out to someone
- reaching out for something
- reaching out about something
She's reaching out to her old colleagues to ask for advice.
Thank you for reaching out; I'll get back to you soon.
The charity is reaching out to families in need.
Common combinations
- reaching out to someone
- He's reaching out to his former boss for a reference.
- reaching out for help
- Don't be afraid of reaching out for help when you need it.
- reaching out about a job
- I'm reaching out about the job you advertised.
- thank you for reaching out
- Thank you for reaching out; your message means a lot.
Synonyms and how they differ
- contacting
- More neutral and direct; 'reaching out' often implies a warmer, more purposeful attempt to connect.
- getting in touch
- Similar but less formal; 'reaching out' is common in professional emails.
Word family
- reach out phrasal verb
- The base form, meaning to contact or connect with someone.
Commonly confused: reaching out or reach?
reaching out vs reach
Without 'out', 'reach' usually means to arrive at or stretch to something; 'reach out' specifically means to make contact.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'reaching out' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Reaching out' is followed by 'to' before the person you contact. 'For' is used for the thing you want (e.g., 'reaching out for help'), and 'at' is not used here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “reaching out”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.