single out

1 to decide to accept (someone or something) from a group of possibilities she quickly singled out the most qualified candidate from the pool of the applicants Synonyms cherry-pick, cull, elect, handpick, name, opt (for), pick, prefer, select, choose (out), tag, takeRelated Words preselect; appoint, designate, fix, mark, nominate, set, tab, tap; accept, adopt, embrace, espouse; settle (on or upon)Near Antonyms disapprove, negative, repudiate, spurn; discard, jettison, throw away, throw outAntonyms decline, refuse, reject, turn down

2 to find out or establish the identity of through careful reasoning and the process of elimination, neighbors singled her out as the writer of the anonymous letter Synonyms distinguish, finger, ID, pinpoint, identify (out)Related Words diagnose; determine, find; locate, pick out, place, recognize, spot; check, examine, inspect, investigate, notice, observe, scrutinize; betray, disclose, discover, revealNear Antonyms camouflage, conceal, disguise, hide; counterfeit, feign, sham, simulate