as in explains
to make plain or understandable
the dating applicant spelled out exactly what she wanted in a man
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Recent Examples of spells out
The Common Council has seen vacancies before, and city's municipal code spells out what the alderperson and the city must do when someone declares their intent to resign.
—
Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 13 Apr. 2026
On its website, the IRS spells out the new deduction amounts available at different income levels.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
Lina communicates using a method in which a nonspeaking person spells out words with the assistance of a facilitator, often a family member.
—Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2026
In a March 26 news release, Texas Parks and Wildlife officials announced an amendment that more clearly spells out what buyers must show at the counter and adds tougher documentation rules for some out-of-state and foreign applicants.
—Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 31 Mar. 2026
The lengthy bill spells out those restrictions.
—Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
Seeing the wall police breached to give people inside the club a chance to get out, or the bathrooms and dressing rooms where people hid, prayed for survival or reached out to family and friends carries an impact that spells out this nation’s terrifying vulnerability to gun violence.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2026
The order spells out the exact amount of money that each of the 106 women are owed.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
City Council President Linda Barnes-Caldwell, D-5th, authored the ordinance, expected to be approved Tuesday, that spells out the funding framework for the project.
—Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 13 Apr. 2026
On its website, the IRS spells out the new deduction amounts available at different income levels.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
Lina communicates using a method in which a nonspeaking person spells out words with the assistance of a facilitator, often a family member.
—Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2026
In a March 26 news release, Texas Parks and Wildlife officials announced an amendment that more clearly spells out what buyers must show at the counter and adds tougher documentation rules for some out-of-state and foreign applicants.
—Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 31 Mar. 2026
The lengthy bill spells out those restrictions.
—Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
Seeing the wall police breached to give people inside the club a chance to get out, or the bathrooms and dressing rooms where people hid, prayed for survival or reached out to family and friends carries an impact that spells out this nation’s terrifying vulnerability to gun violence.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2026
The order spells out the exact amount of money that each of the 106 women are owed.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
City Council President Linda Barnes-Caldwell, D-5th, authored the ordinance, expected to be approved Tuesday, that spells out the funding framework for the project.
—Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spells out
Verb
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Jeff’s worries, Rogers explains to the camera after seeing his young friend off, are different from the worry that one’s parents might separate.—
Jean Garnett,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
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Saliers further explains that the essential tremor has impacted the way the duo can perform some of their most notable harmonies.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The head-spinning turnaround illustrates an already-familiar story.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
16 Apr. 2026
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The two events share a history — one that illustrates just how the plate program has become picayune, politicized and potentially hazardous to public safety.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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August 23 – September 22 Deep work clarifies what truly matters.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
16 Apr. 2026
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Adding Pollock to the picture further clarifies the picture.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Or when Reggie purposefully annoys Arthur by having his son, Carmelo (Jalyn Hall), practice with his a cappella group in Arthur’s editing suite, a move that demonstrates the increasingly teasing affection between Arthur and Reggie.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
14 Apr. 2026
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As the book demonstrates, notoriously unforgiving passport photos were delivered so well by Sharkey that some stars would see him again and again.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spells out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spells%20out. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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