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
Trump castigated the court for not spelling out what happens to the tens of billions of dollars the government has already collected.
—
Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
The job qualifications are typically lean, spelling out a handful of core expectations.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 18 Feb. 2026
The timeline is worth spelling out.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Volunteers recently took city representatives to the area to see the situation for themselves in the hope the city will install official signs spelling out the rules for bicyclists, including speed limits and the message that off-roading is prohibited.
—Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
The governor, who has emerged as a likely candidate for the 2028 presidential race, spent much of his hour-long speech spelling out the triumphs of his administration and extolling the values of California.
—Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 9 Jan. 2026
At the same time, Xinjiang, as an obvious hotspot, hardly needs spelling out.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 29 Oct. 2025
By statute, districts must send voters a mailer spelling out those particulars.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 28 Oct. 2025
More in-depth filings spelling out Combs’ arguments for why his conviction and sentence should be overturned are expected to be submitted to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in the coming weeks, where the case will go before a three-judge panel.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2025
Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
The job qualifications are typically lean, spelling out a handful of core expectations.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 18 Feb. 2026
The timeline is worth spelling out.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Volunteers recently took city representatives to the area to see the situation for themselves in the hope the city will install official signs spelling out the rules for bicyclists, including speed limits and the message that off-roading is prohibited.
—Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
The governor, who has emerged as a likely candidate for the 2028 presidential race, spent much of his hour-long speech spelling out the triumphs of his administration and extolling the values of California.
—Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 9 Jan. 2026
At the same time, Xinjiang, as an obvious hotspot, hardly needs spelling out.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 29 Oct. 2025
By statute, districts must send voters a mailer spelling out those particulars.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 28 Oct. 2025
More in-depth filings spelling out Combs’ arguments for why his conviction and sentence should be overturned are expected to be submitted to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in the coming weeks, where the case will go before a three-judge panel.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spelling out
Verb
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Jupiter in your 3rd House of Discourse backs you up, so a thoughtful chat with a teammate can rally useful support by explaining who does what.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
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This article is part of a series explaining foreign policy terms commonly used but rarely explained.—
Andrew Latham,
The Conversation,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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States passed 90 policies bolstering high school career and technical education in 2024, illustrating its increasing political support.—
Miranda Dunlap,
jsonline.com,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Other nights, third-year forward Brandon Miller continues illustrating why Charlotte drafted him second in 2024.—
James Jackson,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Buy time by clarifying When you're caught off guard, asking a question in return can be a powerful move.—
Melody Wilding,
CNBC,
3 Mar. 2026
-
When user requests are ambiguous, rather than simply assuming one specific interpretation, systems now often ask a clarifying question to reduce the risk of creating frustration or making mistakes.—
Frédéric Dalsace,
Harvard Business Review,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Often, grand jurors are obliged to sit for months at a time, often at great personal expense, demonstrating admirable and selfless fortitude in service of this important public service.—
Barbara Jaffe,
New York Daily News,
4 Mar. 2026
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Iran's attack on the Ras Tanura refinery represents a major escalation, a Middle East analyst said, with Iran demonstrating that key Gulf energy infrastructure is within its reach, and investor sentiment was likely to worsen.—
DAVID McHUGH,
Arkansas Online,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
For getting up the hill and getting across the flatter sections.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
7 Jan. 2026
-
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 9 Mar. 2026.
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