callout

1 of 2

noun

call·​out ˈkȯl-ˌau̇t How to pronounce callout (audio)
1
: the act or an instance of calling out
2
: an often bordered inset in a printed article or illustration that usually includes a key excerpt or detail

call out

2 of 2

verb

called out; calling out; calls out

transitive verb

1
: to summon into action
call out troops
2
: to challenge to a duel
3
: to order on strike
call out the workers
4
: to publicly criticize or fault (someone)
The FDA will have to start forcing companies to be transparent and call them out on it when they're not.Massimo Calabresi et al.

Examples of callout in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The clip then ends with a callout announcing that a trailer for Despicable Me 4, which is due to hit theaters later this year, is now available to watch. Nicholas Rice, Peoplemag, 11 Feb. 2024 For new players, many of them are presented without deeper context, treated like character appearances in late-stage Marvel films, whose purpose exist as a callout or tease to unfamiliar plotlines that aren’t resolved or remotely set up. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2024 Students and recent graduates told their friends about the callout while the Idaho Business for Education and the American Institute of Architects Idaho sent it to their members. Asia Fields, ProPublica, 15 Dec. 2023 The occupants of the house were asked to come outside and, while some people exited the home, a man and a woman stayed inside and did not respond to police callouts, according to San Diego Lt. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Jan. 2024 Nearly 3,000 New York Times readers responded to our callout asking for the best holiday film recommendations. James Freeman, WSJ, 22 Dec. 2023 Hours after the initial callout for casting, the producers were flooded with queries and name submissions. Amber Dowling, Variety, 16 Oct. 2023 The Idaho Education Association shared our callout with 10,000 members and asked for 200 flyers to put up in schools. Asia Fields, ProPublica, 15 Dec. 2023 Meanwhile, the second half brought far-reaching strikes, ardent callouts, and a rousing speech by The Nanny. Hazlitt, 6 Dec. 2023
Verb
Students who were watching called out the male student for pushing the girl first and using the N-word against her. Sarah Ritter, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024 Hence, privacy advocates have called out the data broker industry as a major security risk. Michael Kan, PCMAG, 21 Mar. 2024 Time Out calls out Casa Nata for its Portuguese tarts, 1800 Lasagne for its signature lasagna, Northside Wines for its local natural wine, Gigi Rooftop for its drinks with a view, and Francesca’s Bar for late-night dancing. Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 19 Mar. 2024 In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Bell, 37, called out the stars of Ned’s Declassified: School Survival Guide, namely Devon Werkhesier and Lindsey Shaw, after the pair seemingly joked about the allegations on TikTok Live. Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024 Working women need their own sisterhoods, Nooyi continued, and to work together to call out unconscious biases. Jasmine Li, Fortune, 18 Mar. 2024 Media outlets, civil rights groups, and some users called out communities that trafficked in misogynist conspiracy theories, intimate images stolen off celebrities’ emails and iCloud accounts, and actual AR-15s that had Snoo emblazoned on them with Reddit’s permission. Paresh Dave, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2024 Then in 2020, Saturday Night Live spent more than eight minutes mocking the airport in a musical extravaganza, calling out birds in the terminal, non-working electrical outlets, and shoddy baggage handling. Rachel Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Mar. 2024 During her acceptance speech, Stone called out her husband McCary and their soon-to-be 3-year-old daughter Louise Jean with a lyric from Taylor Swift. Lawrence Yee, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'callout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1887, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of callout was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near callout

Cite this Entry

“Callout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/callout. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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