What Does โCost sb outโ Mean?
โCost sb outโ means to force someone to leave or lose a job, contract, or opportunity because of high costs or expenses.
Introduction
The phrase โcost sb outโ is commonly used in business and everyday English to describe a situation where someone is pushed out due to financial reasons. For example, a company might increase prices or expenses, which can โcost someone outโ of a contract or position. Understanding the โcost sb out meaningโ helps learners recognize how financial pressure can lead to exclusion or removal. This phrasal verb is useful in discussions about business deals, employment, or competitive markets where costs play a crucial role.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: cost somebody out
- Type: transitive
- Level: B2
- Short meaning: to force someone to leave or lose something because of high costs
Structure (Grammar Rules)
โCost sb outโ is a transitive phrasal verb, meaning it always takes a direct object (someone or something). It is inseparable; you cannot separate โcostโ and โoutโ with the object.
Pattern: cost + somebody + out
Example: The new fees cost the small businesses out of the market.
How to Use โCost sb outโ?
Use โcost sb outโ when talking about situations where someone loses a chance, job, or contract due to increased costs or expenses. It is often used in business, legal, or economic contexts.
For example, you might say, โThe competitorโs price cuts cost us out of the deal,โ meaning the competitorโs pricing forced you to lose the deal.
Examples
- The rising rent costs cost the family out of their favorite neighborhood.
- The companyโs new policies cost many employees out of their jobs.
- High import taxes cost small manufacturers out of international markets.
- Cost sb out in a sentence: The expensive license fees cost the startup out of the software market.
- When suppliers increased prices, it cost the retailer out of several contracts.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: The new rules cost out the workers.
Correct: The new rules cost the workers out. - Incorrect: They cost out the contract the client.
Correct: They cost the client out of the contract. - Incorrect: It cost me out.
Correct: It cost me out of the opportunity.
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrasal verbs include โpush sb outโ and โprice sb out.โ
- Push sb out: This means to force someone to leave, often by pressure or influence, not necessarily related to cost.
- Price sb out: Very close in meaning to โcost sb out,โ it specifically refers to losing business or contracts because of higher prices.
While โcost sb outโ focuses on the overall expense causing exclusion, โprice sb outโ emphasizes pricing strategy as the main reason.
Common Collocations
- cost someone out of a job
- cost someone out of a contract
- cost someone out of the market
- cost someone out of an opportunity
- cost someone out of a deal
Real-life Dialogue
Anna: I heard the company is losing clients.
Ben: Yeah, the new regulations cost them out of several big contracts.
Anna: Thatโs tough. So they canโt compete because of the higher costs?
Ben: Exactly. The extra expenses cost them out of the market.
Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of โcost sb outโ:
- The increased taxes ______ many small businesses ______ the market.
- High fees ______ her ______ the competition.
- The new policy might ______ workers ______ their jobs.
FAQs
- What does โcost sb outโ mean?
It means forcing someone to lose or leave something because of high costs. - Is โcost sb outโ separable?
No, you cannot separate โcostโ and โoutโ with the object. - Can โcost sb outโ be used in everyday conversation?
It is mostly used in business or formal contexts but can appear in everyday discussions about money. - What is the difference between โcost sb outโ and โprice sb outโ?
โCost sb outโ refers to overall expenses causing exclusion, while โprice sb outโ focuses on pricing specifically. - Can โcost sb outโ refer to losing a job?
Yes, it can mean losing a job due to increased costs or company expenses.
