as in to explain
to make plain or understandable
the dating applicant spelled out exactly what she wanted in a man
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Recent Examples of spell out
The writing in Book of Love thrives on this sort of ambiguity; the band would rather listeners read between every one of its lines than have the story spelled out for them.
—
Billie Bugara, Pitchfork, 26 Apr. 2026
Google hasn’t really spelled out its agentic coding vision to the world.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Sometimes these repercussions are spelled out in the CC&Rs, and other times they are handled on a case-by-case basis.
—Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Apr. 2026
The contract spelled out that Grayson is an honorary member of the Falcons and also memorializes the team’s commitment to being a support system for Grayson.
—Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spell out
Billie Bugara, Pitchfork, 26 Apr. 2026
Google hasn’t really spelled out its agentic coding vision to the world.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Sometimes these repercussions are spelled out in the CC&Rs, and other times they are handled on a case-by-case basis.
—Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Apr. 2026
The contract spelled out that Grayson is an honorary member of the Falcons and also memorializes the team’s commitment to being a support system for Grayson.
—Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spell out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spell out
Verb
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Besides the driver, an amiable man who was happy to explain how the shredder worked, only a few nervous schoolchildren stood around, supervised by a woman with a badge that identified her as an envoy of the library.—
Mary Norris,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
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The bulletin examined nutrition in common foods (especially meat, bread, and milk), explained how the body uses food as fuel, outlined dietary standards, and considered the economy of food, food waste, and connections between food and health.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There will be a view of the river from the commons and interior wall graphics will illustrate the theme of the design, which incorporates the concepts of earth, air, water and fire.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
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Consider these our contemporary cupcake commandments, illustrated by three new recipes that are, as Carrie would say, fabulous.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That moment was supposed to clarify the boundaries of acceptable discourse.—
Alma Hernandez,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
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Officials later clarified that a meth lab was never located inside Wells Hall.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
Verb
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The ancestors demonstrate to the future the work that is yet to be done.—
Glenn Adamson,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
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In the ’90s, the blockbuster sales of two flea-and-tick medications, Frontline and Advantage, demonstrated untapped demand, and then intensified that demand by enabling new levels of indoor intimacy between dogs and people.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spell out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spell%20out. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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