sort out
Britishverb
-
to find a solution to (a problem, etc), esp to make clear or tidy
it took a long time to sort out the mess
-
to take or separate, as from a larger group
he sorted out the most likely ones
-
to organize into an orderly and disciplined group
-
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.
There are many antitrust issues to sort out, they note.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
The production feels like a jumble, and the casting doesn’t help sort out the mess.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
Kansanback said dealers handle the tax and registration logistics routinely and have web-based tools to sort out what’s required state by state.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026
Greer also said U.S. officials have been talking with their Chinese counterparts about setting up a “board of trade” to sort out nonsensitive trade issues to clear the way for talks on “the sticky issues.”
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
He tried to sort out the feeling into thoughts and pictures so the pain would go away.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
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.
