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.
Buyers do, however, need to sort out insurance before the car leaves the lot.
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
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
"Hopefully it'll be beautiful and we'll be relying on them to sort out the weather," she said.
From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026
“No, not right now. We need to get home and sort out what happened there. See if Darnell’s okay. And the others.”
From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner
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.
