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Synonyms

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Your challenge now is to iron out the IRA and house questions.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 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

If she can iron out putting woes she will be a worthy rival to Thitikul at the top of the rankings.

From BBC • Jan. 6, 2026

Officials from both countries will resume discussions next month to iron out legal issues, with presidents Prabowo Subianto and Donald Trump expected to sign the agreement before February.

From Barron's • Dec. 23, 2025

“There’s scrap iron out there, boys,” he whispered.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.