smooth out
phrasal verb
smoothed out; smoothing out; smooths out also smoothes out
1
: to make (something) smooth or flat
Help me smooth out the tablecloth.
After we dug up the soil, we smoothed it out before we planted the seeds.
2
: to make (something) easier by removing or dealing with problems
We will smooth out the election process by next year.
She tried to smooth things out with her daughter-in-law, but the damage was done.
Examples of smooth out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The travel industry has long dreamed of stretching out the peak season — not just to earn more, but to make peak-season crowding less of an issue, create more stability for tourism jobs, and smooth out hotel occupancy and rates.
—
Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025
Yearly stats smooth out to a somewhat meaningless middle.
—Michael Salfino, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
Frosting that needs to be smoothed out?
—Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Nov. 2025
Two openers tapped into the alternate styles of Lee to smooth out the transition of the evening.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smooth out
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025
Yearly stats smooth out to a somewhat meaningless middle.
—Michael Salfino, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
Frosting that needs to be smoothed out?
—Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Nov. 2025
Two openers tapped into the alternate styles of Lee to smooth out the transition of the evening.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smooth out
Cite this Entry
“Smooth out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smooth%20out. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share