"[3] Radio Luxembourg DJ Mike Hollis, writing for the Daily Mirror, described the song as "a good one" and predicted it would be a hit in the UK.

[4] Mat Snow of New Musical Express considered "The Word Is Out" to be a "mildly attractive sub-Junior song".

He stated, "Stewart launches his solo career with one of those dance records, all synths and drum machines thumping away like a dentist with an extractor.

"[6] Graham K of Record Mirror was unfavourable, writing, "I really don't think that nicking the Art of Noise's megalithic beat box theories will rescue a no-no tune.

"[7] In a retrospective review of The Word Is Out album, Dan LeRoy of AllMusic noted the song's "crunching, big-beat chorus".