reel off

verb

Definition of reel offnext
1
as in to recite
to give from memory he's able to reel off the names of all the U.S. presidents, in historical order and without pausing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to list
to specify one after another her friend proceeded to reel off the roster of losers that she had dated over the years

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of reel off And the rest Iowa has reeled off at least eight wins all but one non-pandemic season since 2013. — Eric Olson, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 Iowa has reeled off at least eight wins all but one non-pandemic season since 2013. — ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026 The Catalans then reeled off Ferran’s trophy haul at the Spotify Camp Nou, over a four and half season haul following his $63 million (€55 million) transfer from Manchester City in late 2021. — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026 Over the weekend, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, a highly influential figure in the Revolutionary Guards, reeled off a maximalist set of demands for reopening the strait. — Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reel off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reel off
  1. recite
  2. list
  3. memorize
  4. detail
  5. outline
Verb
  • Ethnographic research from northwest Armenia, published in 2024, describes people bathing the baby while reciting prayers and blessings.
    — Shushan Karapetian, The Conversation, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The Vatican said the pope is scheduled to recite the Angelus prayer from the window of the papal apartment on Sunday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of recite
Verb
  • Cleveland Clinic lists a long slate of possible benefits ranging from lower blood pressure and improved oxygen levels to reduced snoring, better dry mouth and improved bad breath.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
  • In its November issue, Food & Wine magazine lists Francesco Martucci in Wynwood as one of the 27 Best Pizzas in America.
    — Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of list
Verb
  • The successful applicant must also be willing to wear a hospital gown, memorize scripts, improvise dialogue and provide medical students with constructive feedback on their professionalism.
    — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Sales reps can memorize feature lists and battle cards, but no one knows developers quite like other developers.
    — Kevin Cochrane, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of memorize
Verb
  • As the American Heart Association has detailed, blood clots and related conditions for athletes aren’t new, and athletes often recover.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Jackson has struggled at times to talk about foreign affairs or federal policy issues, like detailing how to pay for Medicare for All in a conversation with CNN’s Dana Bash in mid-October.
    — Julia Terruso, Time, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of detail
Verb
  • In a separate interview, Sundwall homed in on cars and economic impact, outlining efficiency honed through the methods of private business, as well as total spending transparency.
    — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Nvidia's most recent quarterly financial filing in August outlined over $500 billion in off-balance-sheet commitments over the coming years, with a majority maturing through fiscal 2029.
    — Kif Leswing,Isabel O'Brien, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of outline

Browse Nearby Words

reeling off
reel off
reels
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reel off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reel%20off. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All