call out

British  

verb

1. to utter aloud, esp loudly

2. (tr) to summon

3. (tr) to order (workers) to strike

4. (tr) to summon (an employee) to work at a time outside his normal working hours, usually in an emergency

5. (tr) to challenge to a duel

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call out Idioms  

1. Summon into action or service, as in The governor called out the militia . [Mid-1400s]

2. Challenge to a fight, as in To avenge the insult, Arthur called him out . This term originated with dueling and is dying out. [Early 1800s]

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Example Sentences

"It is an issue for of us and it's an issue particularly I think for men to face up to, to stand up to, to call out," he said.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Its social media accounts frequently call out bets that have the hallmarks of insider trading.

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

In a conversation with the Bulwark’s Tim Miller immediately following Spanberger’s response, Buttigieg pointed out Americans’ anxieties surrounding affordability and homed in on a way to call out the GOP’s hypocrisy.

From Salon • Feb. 25, 2026

Disney and Paramount were the first of the studios to call out ByteDance, sending their letters last Friday and Saturday.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2026

He tried to think of his father, his grandfather, his mother, of how they would call out, encourage him, love him, but they would not be summoned up.

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

Related Words

• ask for
• assert
• call for
• claim
• confront
• defy
• demand
• denounce
• impose
• require
• test
• try