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
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
As Virgin Voyages' new stage show began, pink neon letters spelling out a woman's name glowed brightly in the low lights.
—Nathan Diller, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025
Media lawyers and newsroom leaders are evaluating a government memo spelling out new rules that would sharply restrict reporting at the Pentagon.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2025
The campaign was photographed and filmed by Oliver Hadlee Pearch with an original track that also has Campbell spelling out the famous Italian brand.
—Miles Socha, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2025
Kill those fears by spelling out exactly what's in and what's out.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
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
As Virgin Voyages' new stage show began, pink neon letters spelling out a woman's name glowed brightly in the low lights.
—Nathan Diller, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025
Media lawyers and newsroom leaders are evaluating a government memo spelling out new rules that would sharply restrict reporting at the Pentagon.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2025
The campaign was photographed and filmed by Oliver Hadlee Pearch with an original track that also has Campbell spelling out the famous Italian brand.
—Miles Socha, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2025
Kill those fears by spelling out exactly what's in and what's out.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spelling out
Verb
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Brown shared a statement explaining his absence with CBS Mornings and Today as the remaining members of the cast — Tan France, Jonathan Van Ness, Antoni Porowski, and new design expert Jeremiah Brent — appeared without him.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Jan. 2026
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While several market observers emphasized the impact of trade war concerns when explaining the latest movements in risk assets, some analysts noted the influence that leverage had on these price fluctuations.—
Charles Lloyd Bovaird II,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The 1,300-student California College of Arts had previously laid off 10% of its staff and instituted a series of budget cuts, illustrating the economic pressures facing small schools that are dealing with increasingly dire finances.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Olous is a rare example of a city slowly claimed by the sea, illustrating how gradual environmental change can erase urban centers over centuries while leaving their remains quietly visible below the surface.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Rather than clarifying events surrounding Epstein's death, the footage appears to complicate the official narrative, and contradicts some prior statements about the prison's surveillance system.—
Daniel Ruetenik,
CBS News,
31 Dec. 2025
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The death certificates for Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner are clarifying the timeline of their deaths.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Dec. 2025
Verb
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CertiK has also collaborated with institutions such as Standard Chartered, HSBC, and Ant Group on digital asset initiatives, demonstrating that security expectations from the enterprise world can be met even in decentralized environments.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
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The film is set in 2029, a mere three years from now, demonstrating both an optimism about the potentiality of AI and a pessimism about the city’s trajectory.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Jan. 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 28 Jan. 2026.
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