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 outShe was singled out for special treatment.
Examples of single out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Persad-Bissessar said that’s not why Washington singled out two of the five Caribbean countries that offer the golden passports.
—
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 21 Dec. 2025
In particular, the mayor singled out the proposal to sell off some of the debt owed to the city.
—Todd Feurer, CBS News, 18 Dec. 2025
Decades later, McNamara himself singled out the importance of this 18-month stretch.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
So much of one’s experience at a restaurant is contextual, dependent on the arc and flow of a meal, and singling out any one specific creation or sensory experience forces me to take stock in a more granular, almost animalistic way.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 14 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for single out
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Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 21 Dec. 2025
In particular, the mayor singled out the proposal to sell off some of the debt owed to the city.
—Todd Feurer, CBS News, 18 Dec. 2025
Decades later, McNamara himself singled out the importance of this 18-month stretch.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
So much of one’s experience at a restaurant is contextual, dependent on the arc and flow of a meal, and singling out any one specific creation or sensory experience forces me to take stock in a more granular, almost animalistic way.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 14 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for single out
Cite this Entry
“Single out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/single%20out. Accessed 24 Dec. 2025.
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