as in to explain
to make plain or understandable
the dating applicant spelled out exactly what she wanted in a man
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spell out
James Cameron has signed on to make a film adaptation based on the upcoming book, Ghosts of Hiroshima, and isn't afraid to spell out how his project will differ from Christopher Nolan's depiction of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Oppenheimer.
—
Mekishana Pierre Published, EW.com, 30 June 2025
To spell out this dichotomy, though, is to give it far clunkier emphasis than the script does.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 June 2025
There is also a slight concern about Fishlock — the Seattle Reign midfielder has had intermittent spells out all through the first half of the 2025 NWSL season due to an ongoing, unspecified leg injury.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 27 June 2025
Congress passed a 2019 appropriations bill spelling out that authority.
—Mike Catalini, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for spell out
Mekishana Pierre Published, EW.com, 30 June 2025
To spell out this dichotomy, though, is to give it far clunkier emphasis than the script does.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 June 2025
There is also a slight concern about Fishlock — the Seattle Reign midfielder has had intermittent spells out all through the first half of the 2025 NWSL season due to an ongoing, unspecified leg injury.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 27 June 2025
Congress passed a 2019 appropriations bill spelling out that authority.
—Mike Catalini, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for spell out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spell out
Verb
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Another royal source explained that layoffs were inevitable for the former royal family members.—
Lissete Lanuza Sáenz,
StyleCaster,
13 July 2025
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The woman explained the extensive interviewing process as well as her concerns with pursuing the opportunity on the community forum Mumsnet.—
Brian Anthony Hernandez,
People.com,
13 July 2025
Verb
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Though Combs denied the allegation, the incident illustrates how some individuals may attempt to exert control over their current or former partners, even through intimidation or violence, to prevent them from forming new relationships.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
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The artist continues to interrogate the interplay between image and text in culture today –– illustrating the persistent dominance of advertising, as well as the peculiarities of newer phenomena, such as memes.—
Megan Williams,
CNN Money,
18 July 2025
Verb
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Based on this research, the company hypothesized about what the issues are that give people trouble with these terms and concepts, though many such searches also could be conducted to clarify details or derive more information.—
Russ Wiles,
USA Today,
12 July 2025
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Casas has emphasized that the new agreement is primarily about clarifying responsibilities, not about radically changing the department’s behavior.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
12 July 2025
Verb
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These weren't amateur attempts at gaming the system — they were carefully crafted prompt injections that demonstrated deep understanding of how AI systems process text and respond to instructions.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
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Given to the forward who demonstrates throughout the season the most skill in the defensive component of the game.—
The Athletic NHL Staff,
New York Times,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spell out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spell%20out. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.
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