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.
And the census is still trying to figure out how to ask questions to sort out race, ethnicity and origins.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2026
New fears, new requests, new hearings, new proposed rules—and a new box of ducks to try to sort out.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
Manchester City midfielder Rodri says he will wait until after the World Cup to sort out his future at the club amid links to Real Madrid.
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
The production feels like a jumble, and the casting doesn’t help sort out the mess.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
It took years to sort out some of the classification messes they made.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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.
