single out

phrasal verb

singled out; singling out; singles out
: to treat or to speak about (someone or something in a group) in a way that is different from the way one treats or speaks about others
The coach singled out the players who played poorly.
The reviewer singled her performance out for praise/criticism.
often used as (be) singled out
She was singled out for special treatment.

Examples of single out in a Sentence

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The National Endowment for Humanities, another federal agency that funds museum programs, has singled out grants related to DEI as grounds for termination. Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2025 Russia up to old tricks Pistorius singled out Russia as a particular concern for Germany. Benj Edwards, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025 The singling out of Haiti’s elite comes as the State Department tries to address the country’s escalating violence and political paralysis. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2025 Reviewers frequently singled out the server Jorge for outstanding service. Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 23 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for single out

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Cite this Entry

“Single out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/single%20out. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

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