sort out
Britishverb
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to find a solution to (a problem, etc), esp to make clear or tidy
it took a long time to sort out the mess
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to take or separate, as from a larger group
he sorted out the most likely ones
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to organize into an orderly and disciplined group
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informal to beat or punish
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.
Most of my book is devoted to trying to sort out this political enigma, and how the movement and its consequences might be understood.
From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026
"And now I am here also because of the illegal attacks on Iran. I know Iran is not perfect, but the Iranian people should be left to sort out their own problems," she told AFP.
From Barron's • Mar. 15, 2026
"People spend hours and hours and weeks and weeks trying to sort out care for their family", she said.
From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026
Alex Chaloff, the chief investment officer of Bernstein Private Wealth Management, said his team has been trying to sort out AI winners from losers since last year.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026
Neville took a little longer to sort out; his round face was anxious as Professor McGonagall looked down his application and then consulted his O.W.L. results.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
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.
