sort

1 of 2

noun

ˈsȯrt 

1

a

: 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

3

a

archaic : method or manner of acting : way, manner

b

: character, nature

people of an evil sort

4

a

: 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

sort

2 of 2

verb

sorted; sorting; sorts

transitive verb

1

a

: 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

3

a

: 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

sortable

ˈsȯr-tə-bəl 

adjective

sorter noun

Phrases

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

Synonyms

Noun

• breed
• class
• description
• feather
• genre
• ilk
• kidney
• kind
• like
• manner
• nature
• order
• species
• strain
• stripe
• type
• variety

Verb

• associate
• chum
• company
• consociate
• consort
• fraternize
• hang (around or out)
• hobnob
• hook up
• mess around
• pal (around)
• run
• travel

Choose the Right Synonym for sort

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

Popular on Variety Riley grows increasingly out of sorts as headquarters gets crowded with new emotions including Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser) and Nostalgia (June Squibb). —Carolyn Giardina, Variety, 11 Apr. 2024

That goes two ways, but the fact that so many stans perceive celebrities like Taylor Swift as surrogate mothers of sorts is setting everybody up for psychological failure because the mode of communication is one-sided. —Angela Chen, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024

Kingfield In the winter months, Kingfield comes alive as a ski town of sorts, situated next door to the famed Sugarloaf Mountain. —Erinne Magee, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2024

Every April 10 for several years now, many social media feeds are transformed into a virtual family album of sorts, as friends and acquaintances post photos to mark National Siblings Day. —Maria Godoy, NPR, 10 Apr. 2024

The unusual meeting point was a compromise of sorts, halfway between Tel Aviv, where Rappaport lived, and Raanan’s homebase in Mikhmoret, a coastal town 26 miles to the north. —Byallie Garfinkle, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2024

The opinion does not establish a rule that other US judges are duty bound to follow, but in combination with the verdict in favor of the SEC, sets a precedent of sorts for a crypto organization having violated US securities laws. —Joel Khalili, WIRED, 5 Apr. 2024

Furthermore, key Bayern players like Harry Kane and Jamal Musiala seemed out of sorts, and on top of that, Sven Ulreich struggled to replace regular no.1 Manuel Neuer. —Manuel Veth, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024

Acknowledging a kinship of sorts, motorcyclists gave frequent thumbs-up to the Morgan, claiming the three-wheeler as one of their own. —Robert Ross, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2024

Verb

Quick Read Deep Read ( 6 Min. ) April 10, 2024 Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal Among the warehouses of one of Portugal’s oldest ports, conversations are flowing among the men sorting their fishing nets. —Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Apr. 2024

To the contrary, the regional order appears to be sorting itself out without the United States, and the administration has not been able to prevent the deaths of more than 30,000 Palestinians and the physical devastation of Gaza. —Steven Simon, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2024

In the past, that material had to be hauled to Western Recycling then baled and taken by truck to Portland or Seattle to be sorted. —Cynthia Sewell, Idaho Statesman, 8 Apr. 2024

Sometimes you might be permitted into the backroom or sorting area. —Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024

So the reading glasses weren't for reading as much as for other daily tasks, like threading a needle, quickly figuring out change at a cash register or weeding and sorting grain on a family farm. —Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 3 Apr. 2024

That’s your big-ticket purchase for 2027 sorted, then. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024

Other volunteering opportunities on the island that more directly aid fire recovery include delivering meals for Hungry Heroes Hawai’i, an organization born of the pandemic, and sorting donations for the Maui Humane Society, which has taken in more than 800 animals since the Lahaina blaze. —Leilani Marie Labong, Travel + Leisure, 30 Mar. 2024

Veteran Mercedes owners might hop in and take all this touchscreen tech for granted, but owners new to the brand will want to invest an hour or two finger-poking icons and sorting default settings. —Mark Ewing, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, fate, lot, characteristic, from Latin sort-, sors lot, share, category — more at series

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing sort

• after a sort
• of one kind/sort/type or another
• of the sort
• sort of
• some kind/sort/type of
• re-sort
• sort through
• sort out
• mis-sort
• nothing of the sort
• of a sort
• sort myself out

Kids Definition

sort

1 of 2 noun

ˈsȯ(ə)rt 

1

a

: a group of persons or things that have something in common : class

b

: person sense 1, individual

not a bad sort

2

a

archaic : method or manner of acting : way, manner

b

: general disposition : nature

people of an evil sort

sort

2 of 2 verb

1

: to separate and arrange by kind or class : classify

sort mail

sort out socks by color

2

: agree sense 6, suit

our views sort poorly with theirs

3

: search

sort through some old papers

sorter noun