iron out

British  

verb

1. to smooth, using a heated iron

2. to put right or settle (a problem or difficulty) as a result of negotiations or discussions

3. informal to knock unconscious

---

iron out Idioms  

1. Work out, resolve, settle. For example, They managed to iron out all the problems with the new production process, or John and Mary finally ironed out their differences. This expression uses ironing wrinkled fabric as a metaphor for smoothing differences. [Mid-1800s]

---

Example Sentences

Apart from winning, Norris' target this season is to improve himself, iron out the weaknesses that were exposed by his struggles with adapting to the McLaren last year.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

To do so, he’ll have to iron out disagreements over Canada’s Sikh population, which India accuses of stoking separatist sentiment on its soil.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

The more details, financial or otherwise, you iron out before the trip, the more you’ll be able to enjoy what sounds like an amazing few days.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 29, 2026

Just hours earlier, talks at the White House between Danish, Greenlandic, and US officials failed to iron out differences between Copenhagen and Nuuk on one side and Washington on the other.

From Barron's • Jan. 16, 2026

Often, my task was to iron out differences in areas that were about to launch actions or had recendy done so.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

• arbitrate
• clear up
• eradicate
• expedite
• get rid of
• harmonize
• negotiate
• resolve
• settle
• smooth over
• straighten out
• unravel