callout

1 of 2

noun

call·​out ˈkȯl-ˌau̇t 

1

: the act or an instance of calling out

2

: an often bordered inset in a printed article or illustration that usually includes a key excerpt or detail

call out

2 of 2

verb

called out; calling out; calls out

transitive verb

1

: to summon into action

call out troops

2

: to challenge to a duel

3

: to order on strike

call out the workers

4

: to publicly criticize or fault (someone)

The FDA will have to start forcing companies to be transparent and call them out on it when they're not.

—Massimo Calabresi et al.

Examples of callout in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

From competitive runners sprinting across the finish line to families and first-time participants soaking in the atmosphere, the event carried a festival-like energy throughout the morning, complete with music, cheering crowds, and emcee callouts celebrating runners from across Georgia and beyond. —Cbs News Atlanta Staff, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026

Impacts for travelers due to the callouts have varied wildly by airport, and unpredictability could continue. —Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 22 Mar. 2026

Verb

Other officers have called out, leading to long lines at some airports, including Bush Intercontinental and Hobby airports in Houston. —Jack Fink, CBS News, 25 Mar. 2026

The president initially framed the move as an effort to relieve the long TSA lines and support the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), whose agents are calling out sick and resigning by the hundreds in their first week without pay due to the shutdown. —Laura Bassett, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1882, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for callout

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout