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

At Carité, for example, a robot helps smooth out the shoes’ upper part before artisans glue-press the outsole onto it. —Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 21 Nov. 2025

If needed, use the iron to smooth out your linens for an elegant finish. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 17 Nov. 2025

The knit is thick enough to keep you warm without feeling too heavy, and the texture smooths out even more over time. —Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 17 Nov. 2025

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

Rhymes for smooth out

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