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

“We talked about our parties in self-deprecating ways. I thought, If we call out the bullshit of everybody on everybody’s side and have a real conversation, this could be interesting,” she said.

From Slate • Apr. 21, 2026

At halftime, our team was walking toward the locker room when I heard Jack call out to me: “Ron, Ron, wait up.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

As he has done in the past, the Chicago native did not cite politicians by name, and did not call out specific countries.

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

And if play should begin to slow, course managers can call out the cavalry—suggesting where to place marshals around the course to shepherd golfers along.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Those with higher numbers shift impatiently in their seats as they wait for the man with the notebook to reappear and politely call out the number on their respective slips of paper.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Related Words

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