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
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
And Pearl, while making his team’s case Thursday, unwittingly did a fine job of spelling out the ills of expansion as well.
—Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
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
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
And Pearl, while making his team’s case Thursday, unwittingly did a fine job of spelling out the ills of expansion as well.
—Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spelling out
Verb
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There will also be a letter to take to their healthcare provider explaining the situation.—
Joe Brandt,
CBS News,
20 May 2026
-
Mathematicians take notice The proof underwent external review by mathematicians who also produced a companion paper explaining the argument and its broader importance.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
20 May 2026
Verb
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Fox News Digital reporting captures this tense cultural moment, illustrating the mixed public sentiment and skepticism surrounding AI's growing footprint in daily life.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
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The shot of the car hurtling off the cliff is one of cinema’s most enduring images, illustrating unbreakable friendship, victory and freedom.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Check the facts, ask one clarifying question, and let real information settle your nervous system.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 May 2026
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Money + Politics Crypto stocks climbed as the Senate Banking Committee advanced a bill clarifying regulatory oversight of the industry, a top legislative priority for the sector that had stalled for months.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Compared to standard GPUs, NextSilicon’s Maverick-2 chip adapts its hardware resources to each application at runtime, demonstrating the performance and stability required to qualify for the elite program.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
20 May 2026
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With emotional story and popular cast demonstrating good on-screen chemistry of complex characters, the movie has good theatrical potential for the local market and prospective to cross borders and resonate not only in Eastern Europe.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
19 May 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 21 May. 2026.
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