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
Fish noted the manager was also singled out to go on a trip for the top 200 employees to the Ritz Carlton in Hawaii with his wife.
—
Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 3 Jan. 2026
Of course, school felt like a temporal abyss for a lot of young people, especially those who were violently singled out for their differences.
—Alex Jovanovich, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
Trump has also singled out Colorado for retribution over the state's imprisonment of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 31 Dec. 2025
Niles singled out Nike as well.
—Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for single out
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Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 3 Jan. 2026
Of course, school felt like a temporal abyss for a lot of young people, especially those who were violently singled out for their differences.
—Alex Jovanovich, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
Trump has also singled out Colorado for retribution over the state's imprisonment of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 31 Dec. 2025
Niles singled out Nike as well.
—Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 31 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 8 Jan. 2026.
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