sort

noun

\ ˈsȯrt

Definition of sort

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : a group set up on the basis of any characteristic in common : class, kind

b : one approximating the character or qualities of another a sort of latter-day Abe Lincoln

c : person, individual he's not a bad sort

2 archaic : group, company

3a archaic : method or manner of acting : way, manner

b : character, nature people of an evil sort

4a : a letter or character that is one element of a font

b : a character or piece of type that is not part of a regular font

5 : an instance of sorting a numeric sort of a data file

after a sort

: in a rough or haphazard way plays the piano, after a sort

all sorts of

: many different : all kinds of knows all sorts of people

of sorts or of a sort

: in some respects but not entirely or truly a vacation of sorts

out of sorts

1 : somewhat ill

2 : grouchy, irritable

sort

verb

sorted; sorting; sorts

Definition of sort (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to put in a certain place or rank according to kind, class, or nature sort apples sort mail

b : to arrange according to characteristics : classify —usually used with out sort out colors

2 chiefly Scotland : to put to rights : put in order

3a : to examine in order to clarify —used with out sorting out his problems

b : to free of confusion : clarify —used with out waited until things sorted themselves out

intransitive verb

1 : to join or associate with others especially of the same kind sort with thieves

2 : agree, harmonize his benign view sorts badly with reality— Henry Trewhitt

3 : search sort through some old papers

Other Words from sort Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about sort

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Choose the Right Synonym for sort

Noun

type, kind, sort, nature, description, character mean a number of individuals thought of as a group because of a common quality or qualities. type may suggest strong and clearly marked similarity throughout the items included so that each is typical of the group. one of three basic body types kind may suggest natural grouping. a zoo seemingly having animals of every kind sort often suggests some disparagement. the sort of newspaper dealing in sensational stories nature may imply inherent, essential resemblance rather than obvious or superficial likenesses. two problems of a similar nature description implies a group marked by agreement in all details belonging to a type as described or defined. not all acts of that description are actually illegal character implies a group marked by distinctive likenesses peculiar to the type. research on the subject so far has been of an elementary character

Examples of sort in a Sentence

Noun

What sort of car do you drive? He's not a bad sort. She's not the sort to complain. The program did a numeric sort of the data.

Verb

She started to sort the mail. They sorted the winners from the losers. The program can sort data alphabetically or numerically.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Embark is a collaboration of sorts, with Nexon serving as both a publisher and investor in the fledgling studio. — Andrew Webster, The Verge, "Former EA exec Patrick Söderlund’s new studio just opened, but it has big plans," 8 Nov. 2018 And keeping -- keep in mind, my calendars also were diaries of sorts, forward-looking and backward-looking, just like my dad's. — Fox News, "Brett Kavanaugh's full opening testimony," 27 Sep. 2018 Traditional dishes Kaiseki ryori is a multicourse cuisine of Japan, a culinary finery of sorts, featuring premium, seasonal items such as Wagyu beef, Aigamo duck, Echizen crab and handmade noodles, delicately seasoned. — The Seattle Times, "Hungry? Tokyo’s food meets visitor appetites for history and modernity," 7 Sep. 2018 Since stars inherit the composition of gases from which they are formed, these gases form a history of sorts, similar to how a tree's inner rings can reveal the story of its life. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "The Milky Way Died 7 Billion Years Ago And Came Back To Life," 24 Aug. 2018 The result of the collaborative brainstorm was a red kevlar pouch of sorts, designed to carry the boys. — Wendy Dent, WIRED, "The Engineering Behind Elon Musk's Bid to Save Thailand's Cave Boys," 11 July 2018 The two men do form a bond of sorts, one created by their lingering guilt over past events. — Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, "'The Lighthouse': Film Review," 4 July 2018 Mexico’s presidential election campaign, usually a contentious affair, has turned into a triumphant carnival of sorts, with leftist candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador poised to make history tomorrow. — Caroline Alexander, Bloomberg.com, "A Retirement, a Failed Coup and a Taboo: Weekend Reads," 30 June 2018 Ramos' grudge against the paper resembled a war of sorts, court documents suggest. — William Cummings, USA TODAY, "'Most dangerous person I've ever dealt with': Lawyer feared newspaper murder suspect," 29 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Willow flycatchers belong to the genus Empidonax, a maddeningly difficult taxonomic group to sort out in the field. — Taylor Piephoff, charlotteobserver, "Willow flycatchers are maddingly difficult to identify in the field," 13 June 2018 Clarification: An earlier version of this database was not properly sorting data with some schools and has been corrected. — courier-journal.com, "KPREP 2017: Kentucky Department of Education school scores," 15 May 2018 Meanwhile, Sarri has said that there is enough time to sort things out in relation to the much talked about contractual clause. — SI.com, "'Sarri Will Look to End Things' Expert Claims Napoli Boss Will Almost Certainly Seek Summer Exit," 8 May 2018 There are hundreds of gadgets out there, but who has the time to sort through them all? — Jordan Rodriguez, idahostatesman, "What’s a worm threader? And why do you need one? That, and more fishing gear needs. | Idaho Statesman," 19 Mar. 2018 The war board is necessary because, in addition to sorting and delivering packages, FedEx Express has to operate an airline. — Jacqueline Detwiler, Popular Mechanics, "Inside FedEx’s Christmas Miracle," 19 Dec. 2018 Within 24 hours of our initial call, A&K had a loose itinerary sorted out for us, and the wheels were officially in motion. — Lindsay Silberman, Town & Country, "How to Plan a Safari in Kenya: A Beginner's Guide," 14 Nov. 2018 It is run mostly by volunteers, who help sort and distribute food to as many as 70 families a week. — BostonGlobe.com, "Tea by the sea, Korean peace medals, and $2,000 to fight hunger," 13 July 2018 After that stage, there’s counting, bagging, sorting and a quality check. — Christopher Borrelli, chicagotribune.com, "That red plastic cup is a Chicago original. Proceed to party.," 29 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sort.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.