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scope out

B1 informal separable transitive
In simple words

To look at a place or situation carefully to understand it before deciding what to do.

Literal meaning: To look outward through a scope (like a telescope) — the metaphor of deliberate, far-sighted observation is fairly transparent.

Meanings

1 B1 idiomatic informal

To visit or observe a place in advance in order to assess it or gather information.

"We went to scope out the new restaurant before deciding to book it for the office party."

Grammar: separable
2 B2 idiomatic informal

To evaluate or assess a person, situation, or opportunity carefully.

"She spent the first hour at the networking event scoping out potential business partners."

Grammar: separable
3 C1 idiomatic neutral

(Project management) To formally exclude something from the defined boundaries of a project or plan.

"The team decided to scope out the API integration for now and address it in phase two."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Very common in informal American English. Used before visiting a restaurant, venue, or competition. Also used in a business/project sense to mean excluding something from scope, but the reconnaissance meaning is far more common.

Commonly used with

venue competition area location situation place

Forms

Base
scope out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
scopes out
he/she/it
Past simple
scoped out
yesterday
Past participle
scoped out
have + pp
-ing form
scoping out
continuous

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