ausgelegt sein

Definition & meaning

Ausgelegt sein usually means to be designed, intended, or geared for a particular purpose, person, or situation. It is commonly used with auf (“for” or “toward”) and an accusative noun or pronoun.

• Das Programm ist auf Anfänger ausgelegt. — “The program is designed for beginners.”
• Die Maschine ist auf hohe Belastungen ausgelegt. — “The machine is designed to withstand heavy loads.”

Depending on context, ausgelegt sein can also mean:

• to be interpreted or understood in a particular way: Die Regel ist weit ausgelegt. — “The rule is interpreted broadly.”
• to be laid out, displayed, or spread out: Die Waren sind im Schaufenster ausgelegt. — “The goods are displayed in the shop window.”

Grammar & Word origin

Ausgelegt is the past participle of the separable verb auslegen ↗, used here with sein (“to be”). In the design/intention sense, the typical construction is auf + accusative + ausgelegt sein.

The verb combines aus (“out”) and legen (“to lay”). Its literal sense is “to lay out”; from there, it developed meanings such as “to arrange or display,” “to interpret,” and “to design for a purpose.”

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms vary with the intended meaning:

• konzipiert sein ↗ — “to be conceived or designed”; emphasizes the planning behind something.
• vorgesehen sein ↗ — “to be intended or provided for”; often refers to a planned use or purpose.
• bestimmt sein ↗ — “to be intended for”; a broad, general alternative.
• zugeschnitten sein auf ↗ — “to be tailored to”; suggests adaptation to specific needs.

There is no single exact antonym; it depends on context. For suitability or design, possible opposites are:

• ungeeignet sein ↗ — “to be unsuitable.”
• nicht vorgesehen sein ↗ — “not to be intended or planned for.”

Common phrases & collocations

• auf jemanden ausgelegt sein — to be designed or intended for someone
• auf etwas ausgelegt sein — to be designed for a purpose or condition
• auf hohe Belastungen ausgelegt sein — to be designed for heavy loads
• weit / eng ausgelegt sein — to be interpreted broadly / narrowly