reaching out
Extending a hand
Reaching out is making contact with someone, especially to offer help, seek assistance, or establish connection.
The phrase implies initiative and often vulnerability—you reach out to someone you haven't spoken to in a while, or to a stranger who might help.
In professional contexts, it's become standard jargon for any communication: I'm reaching out to follow up on our meeting.
The corporate overuse has given it a slightly hollow ring.
- contactCommunication or physical touch
- touching baseBrief informal contact
- cold callUninvited sales contact
- communicatingTransmitting ideas between parties
- connectingEstablishing a link
extend · stretch · lending a hand · collaborate · console · empathize · heart to heart · bridge · comfort · engaging · overture · checking in · support · reassure · care · letter · network · building bridges
- contactingcalling, phoning, texting, emailing, messaging
- seeking helpcry for help, help wanted, asking, requesting, SOS
- turning toseeking, consulting, deferring, invoking, resorting
- outreach activitiesvolunteering, canvassing, fundraising, mentoring, recruiting
- encouragementencourage, encouraging, praises, hang in there, supports
- friendship actssharing, helping, listening, supporting, forgiving
reaching outwithdrawing
Removing or pulling away
pulling away · shutting out · ghosting · stonewalling · rebuffing
reaching outpulling back
Moving rearward or retracting
retracting · withdrawing · pulling in · recoiling · shrinking back
reaching outshutting down
Ending operation or activity
suffering in silence · holding back · bottling up · clamming up · going it alone
reach, reached, reaches, unreachable, outreach, overreach, reachable, overreaching, overreached