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spell out
verb
spelled out; spelling out; spells out
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
Synonyms
Examples of spell out in a Sentence
the dating applicant spelled out exactly what she wanted in a man
Recent Examples on the Web
But suspicions like those floated by Rosen could be confirmed or dispelled by following the procedures spelled out for that exact purpose in California’s Racial Justice Act.
—Ron Matthias, The Mercury News, 20 Apr. 2024
Navigating her dilemma insightfully, Baig spells out Dolores’ quandary with precision and empathy.
—Tomris Laffly, Variety, 18 Apr. 2024
The settlement didn't spell out the specific changes agreed to by the state, including whether anesthetics would be available.
—CBS News, 9 Apr. 2024
That night at the top of the main tower, SEK found a spot to leave his name spelled out in bubble letters painted in silver, red and black.
—Steve Appleford, Rolling Stone, 1 Apr. 2024
Jobs with erratic or traditionally late work hours (like legislative staffers or newspaper reporters) would still be allowed to be contacted, provided that employers clearly spell out non-contact hours in worker contracts, or else compensate on-call time.
—Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 3 Apr. 2024
The act spells out limitations on how debt collectors can try to collect household debt, as well as consumers’ protection from harassment and other abusive collection practices.
—Nate Trela, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024
His plan was to spell out his name vertically across multiple floors, a job that took at least four hours.
—Steve Appleford, Rolling Stone, 1 Apr. 2024
The exception is spelled out in the Washington Treaty, the document that established NATO in 1949, a decade before Hawaii became a state.
—Brad Lendon, CNN, 30 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spell out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1940, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near spell out
Cite this Entry
“Spell out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spell%20out. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Kids Definition
spell out
verb1
: 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
Nglish: Translation of spell out for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of spell out for Arabic Speakers
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