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Code review vocabularyphrasal verb · /ˈkɒment aʊt/
In simple English

You temporarily disable code by wrapping it in comment syntax. The code remains in the file but doesn't execute, useful for debugging or keeping code you might need later.

Someone heard a teammate say "comment out" during a code review or pair programming and wants to understand what it means.

At a glanceCEFR B1–B2
Commonness
Versatility
FormalityCasualFormalCasual
Spoken ↔ WrittenSpokenWrittenBoth
Directness ↔ DiplomaticDirectDiplomaticNeutral
Region

Say it like this

Can you comment out that function for now?
I commented out the old logic until we're sure the new version works.
Just comment it out — don't delete it yet.
Let's comment out this section and see if the bug goes away.
I'd recommend commenting out that code instead of removing it.

Real examples

Standup

"I commented out the failing tests so we could deploy yesterday, but I'll fix them today."

Slack message

"Hey, can you comment out that console.log before merging?"

GitHub PR

"I've commented out the old API call for now — we can remove it completely once the new endpoint is stable."

Jira ticket

"As a temporary fix, comment out the validation check until the backend team updates the schema."

Retrospective

"We had to comment out half the feature because we ran out of time in the sprint."

Sprint planning

"If we can't finish the caching logic, we'll comment it out and ship without it."

Pair programming

"Try commenting out that line and see if the error disappears."

Don't say this

I commented the code.
I commented out the code.You need 'out' to mean 'disable'. Without 'out', it sounds like you wrote a comment about the code.
I commented out it.
I commented it out.When using a pronoun (it, them), the pronoun goes between the verb and 'out'.
I will comment out the code out.
I will comment out the code.Don't repeat 'out'. Use it only once.

Other forms

base form

comment out

"Let's comment out this function."

past tense

commented out

"I commented out the broken code."

present participle

commenting out

"I'm commenting out the old logic now."

past participle

commented out

"The validation has been commented out."

Often used with

comment out a lineDisable one line of code
comment out a sectionDisable a block of multiple lines
comment out for nowTemporarily disable with intent to revisit
comment out the old codeKeep previous version inactive but available
comment out and testDisable to see if it fixes a problem

Similar words

disableMore general; can mean turning off features too, not just code
deactivateMore formal; used for features or settings more than code
turn offCasual; usually for features, not specific lines of code
excludeUsed in build configs; means 'don't include' rather than 'add comment syntax'

Opposites

uncommentenableactivaterestore

More words

Questions

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