as in explaining
to make plain or understandable
the dating applicant spelled out exactly what she wanted in a man
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Recent Examples of spelling out
Per usual with movies like this, spelling out the terror (the roots are in hobo codes and religious legend) becomes, regrettably, a shock absorber, not a facilitator.
—
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
Visitors would enter past letters spelling out N-A-T-E-L-A-N-D and pass through a six-story indoor mall spilling onto pathways leading to the other three lands.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 19 May 2026
His mistakes have included depriving vulnerable older people of a benefit to heat their homes; raising payroll taxes on employers, while simultaneously asking them to hire more young people; and seeking a new relationship with the European Union, but never spelling out what that means.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
Start with the lead story spelling out the problem and make sure to check out the whole package exploring its many dimensions.
—Mario Aguilar, STAT, 12 May 2026
Specifically, carapaces spelling out 8647, which is either shell-speak for evil intent or a bartender telling Patel to 86 his personal booze and buy a drink already.
—Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 8 May 2026
The theme paid homage to the popular video game, and the party featured giant video screens where partygoers could try their hand at being the last one standing, as well as a light-up dance floor, custom apparel and a giant sign spelling out Mason's name.
—Jen Juneau, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026
Doha, Qatar — In a message marking 30 days since the start of the Iran war, a senior Iranian official is spelling out what many ordinary people across the tense Gulf, and beyond, privately fear will be Washington’s next move.
—Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026
Patrons of The Rockhill Grille in the Crossroads may have noticed a door adjacent to the restaurant, with gold lettering spelling out the bar’s name.
—Jenna Thompson
march 20, Kansas City Star, 20 Mar. 2026
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
Visitors would enter past letters spelling out N-A-T-E-L-A-N-D and pass through a six-story indoor mall spilling onto pathways leading to the other three lands.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 19 May 2026
His mistakes have included depriving vulnerable older people of a benefit to heat their homes; raising payroll taxes on employers, while simultaneously asking them to hire more young people; and seeking a new relationship with the European Union, but never spelling out what that means.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
Start with the lead story spelling out the problem and make sure to check out the whole package exploring its many dimensions.
—Mario Aguilar, STAT, 12 May 2026
Specifically, carapaces spelling out 8647, which is either shell-speak for evil intent or a bartender telling Patel to 86 his personal booze and buy a drink already.
—Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 8 May 2026
The theme paid homage to the popular video game, and the party featured giant video screens where partygoers could try their hand at being the last one standing, as well as a light-up dance floor, custom apparel and a giant sign spelling out Mason's name.
—Jen Juneau, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026
Doha, Qatar — In a message marking 30 days since the start of the Iran war, a senior Iranian official is spelling out what many ordinary people across the tense Gulf, and beyond, privately fear will be Washington’s next move.
—Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026
Patrons of The Rockhill Grille in the Crossroads may have noticed a door adjacent to the restaurant, with gold lettering spelling out the bar’s name.
—Jenna Thompson
march 20, Kansas City Star, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spelling out
Verb
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Narula discussed the potential links between GLP-1s and breast cancer, explaining that after menopause, fat cells produce estrogen throughout the body, and higher levels of estrogen could translate to a higher risk of breast cancer.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
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After taking fans along to a series of appointments, Mellencamp posted a video of her doctor explaining the status of her disease.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Verb
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The activation created a cultural moment, illustrating what tech merchandise can achieve.—
Jay Deutsch,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
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The gesture drew thunderous applause from the audience of more than 5,000 guests, and the event raised nearly $700,000, illustrating how Gaultier used his platform to raise awareness and funding for a key American charity.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Later amendments also addressed concerns from Senate Republicans, Secure AI, Anthropic and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency by clarifying third party qualifications, what the audit should include and protocols for protecting proprietary information.—
Jenna Schweikert,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
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The conclusion is unflattering for the technology and clarifying for the leader.—
Omer Qureshi,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Northrop Grumman has announced that its Jackal precision strike missile has completed another successful flight test, demonstrating the rapidly evolving technological maturity of the weapon system.—
Aditya Jadhav,
Interesting Engineering,
3 June 2026
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And public anger grew after video showed an activist being dragged by a private security guard while demonstrating at the site.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
Verb
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For getting up the hill and getting across the flatter sections.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
7 Jan. 2026
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The issue has been discussed within Congress for years and has received bipartisan support, but obstacles have repeatedly stopped the effort from getting across the finish line.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
11 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spelling out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spelling%20out. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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