1 B1 neutral
To open a piece of furniture or an object by extending it from a folded position.
"The guest room sofa folds out into a comfortable double bed."
inseparable
fold out
B1 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To open or extend something by unfolding it outward from a folded position.
In plain English
Open something up by unfolding it, like a sofa bed or a map.
What does "fold out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To unfold a flat item such as a map or leaflet to its full size.
"He folded out the map on the hood of the car to check their route."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To unfold something outward — transparent.
Actually means
Open something up by unfolding it, like a sofa bed or a map.
Usage tip
Used for furniture with a folding mechanism (sofa beds, table extensions) and for flat objects like maps and brochures. The adjective form 'fold-out' is common for printed materials with folding sections. Used in instructions and everyday domestic speech.
Words that pair with "fold out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
sofa bed map table brochure page section
How to conjugate "fold out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
fold out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
folds out
he/she/it
Past simple
folded out
yesterday
Past participle
folded out
have + pp
-ing form
folding out
continuous
Hear "fold out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "fold out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.