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sort

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verb

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word sort distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of sort are character, description, kind, nature, and type. While all these words mean "a number of individuals thought of as a group because of a common quality or qualities," sort often suggests some disparagement.

the sort of newspaper dealing in sensational stories

In what contexts can character take the place of sort?

While the synonyms character and sort are close in meaning, character implies a group marked by distinctive likenesses peculiar to the type.

research on the subject so far has been of an elementary character

When is it sensible to use description instead of sort?

The words description and sort can be used in similar contexts, but description implies a group marked by agreement in all details belonging to a type as described or defined.

not all acts of that description are actually illegal

When might kind be a better fit than sort?

The synonyms kind and sort are sometimes interchangeable, but kind may suggest natural grouping.

a zoo seemingly having animals of every kind

When could nature be used to replace sort?

While in some cases nearly identical to sort, nature may imply inherent, essential resemblance rather than obvious or superficial likenesses.

two problems of a similar nature

When is type a more appropriate choice than sort?

In some situations, the words type and sort are roughly equivalent. However, type may suggest strong and clearly marked similarity throughout the items included so that each is typical of the group.

one of three basic body types

Examples of sort in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The event Thursday on FIT’s campus was a reunion of sorts, since the nonprofit had held its marquee event since 2020. Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 14 Oct. 2024 But with Milton coming in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which devastated parts of Florida, North Carolina, and other states, the 2024 hurricane season represents a threshold-crossing of sorts. John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024
Verb
The film, winner of a Special Grand Jury Award for Art of Change at the Sundance Film Festival, examines the first successful effort to unionize an Amazon sorting facility in the U.S., located on New York’s Staten Island. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2024 She’s since gone back to Australia to be with her family while her relationship troubles get sorted. Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 7 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sort 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sort.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near sort

Cite this Entry

“Sort.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sort. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on sort

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