spell out

British  

verb

1. to make clear, distinct, or explicit; clarify in detail

   let me spell out the implications

2. to read laboriously or with difficulty, working out each word letter by letter

3. to discern by study; puzzle out

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spell out Idioms  

1. Make plain, clarify, as in We asked her to spell out her objectives . [c. 1940]

2. Read slowly and laboriously, as in He was only six but he managed to spell out the instructions . [Early 1800s]

3. Puzzle out, manage to understand with some effort, as in It took years before anyone could spell out the inscriptions on the Rosetta Stone . [Late 1600s] All three usages transfer spell in the sense of “proceed letter by letter.”

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Example Sentences

The general tone of the film is anticlimactic, but Thomas and Duke are on trajectories that spell out “tragedy” in furnace smoke across a northern English sky.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

She didn’t spell out what this all meant, but it seemed to imply that Erika was raised to be a Project Looking Glass agent assigned to handle Charlie.

From Slate • Feb. 27, 2026

Moore has also tried to walk a fine line on the LAFD’s after-action report, which was meant to spell out mistakes and suggest measures to avoid repeating them.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

There are various types of flips that have unique names that don't spell out exactly what the trick contains - including wildcat, tamedog, backflip, frontflip, rodeo, backside rodeo and corked spin.

From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026

I knew the answer, but it took me too long to spell out the word.

From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper

Related Words

• define
• describe
• expound
• illustrate
• justify
• point out