spell out

verb

spelled out; spelling out; spells out
Synonyms of spell outnext

transitive verb

1
: to make plain
spelled out the orders in detail
2
: to write or print in letters and in full
numbers are to be spelled out

Examples of spell out in a Sentence

the dating applicant spelled out exactly what she wanted in a man
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The dash to the finish line, which included a crossword puzzle spelling out Yankee Stadium, involved a trek across the Big Apple. Christopher Kuhagen, USA Today, 11 Dec. 2025 The ceasefire does not spell out a path to resolve the underlying basis of the dispute, the longstanding differences over where the border should run. CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025 Germany most explicitly spells out the duty to disobey unlawful orders (nobody has ever questioned the duty to obey lawful ones, obviously), while France, Britain, Israel and other Western countries have analogs. Andreas Kluth, Twin Cities, 5 Dec. 2025 There was something deeply moving about watching Cassils use the force of their own body and their intense mental focus to doggedly spell out one letter at a time, one word at a time, minute by minute, hour after hour. Gayatri Gopinath, Artforum, 1 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spell out

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spell out was in 1940

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spell out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spell%20out. Accessed 18 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

spell out

verb
1
: to make very plain
our duties were spelled out
2
: to write or print in letters and in full

More from Merriam-Webster on spell out

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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