spell out

verb

spelled out; spelling out; spells out

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 This contract among fire agencies spells out how departments assist each other countywide as needed with no compensation. Jennifer Edwards Baker, The Enquirer, 14 Mar. 2024 Among them, 80% spell out the share of people of color in senior management or board roles. Byruth Umoh, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2024 Sill, the etiquette coach, suggested spelling out the neighborhood’s social norms around parking and noise to prospective tenants — and explicitly spelling out the rules in rental agreements. Keith Wagstaff, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024 The city ordinance also spells out noise, parking and health regulations. Sarah Ritter, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2024 The plan was spelled out by Chesebro in a memo dated Nov. 18, 2020 — the same day Trump asked for recounts in Dane and Milwaukee counties. Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024 Copilot was also helpful in editing documents, often catching acronyms that should be spelled out, punctuation or conciseness, much like a beefed-up spell check. Danielle Abril, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2024 German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock spelled out Europe’s dependence on the alliance during an interview with NBC News at the Munich Security Conference. Alexander Smith, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2024 The physicians association expects more bills this year, many with provisions spelled out in model legislation the group drafted. Bram Sable-Smith, CNN, 14 Feb. 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

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

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 28 Mar. 2024.

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

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