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

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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]

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Example Sentences

As I note in this week’s issue of Barron’s Global Signals, there are various details to iron out, including specifics on Iran’s nuclear program, and there’s also a chance that the deal falls apart entirely.

From Barron's • Jun. 18, 2026

Without Sciver-Brunt's experience and calming presence, England's batters look scrambled and they have little time to iron out the creases.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

Mistral AI clinched its first acquisition with the purchase of infrastructure startup Koyeb as the French artificial-intelligence major looks to iron out its processes and bolster computing capabilities.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 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

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