as in explained
to make plain or understandable
the dating applicant spelled out exactly what she wanted in a man
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Recent Examples of spelled out
Even before Tuesday, the NTSB had already spelled out many key factors that contributed to the crash.
—
CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
In a letter to Natalie Phelps Finnie, director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, dated April 10, 2025, James Frye, vice president of governmental relations for Suntex Marinas, spelled out that the company was seeking to mutually end its state lease at North Point in Winthrop Harbor.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
When working with a new client, clearly explain the penalty for late payment and make sure it’s spelled out in the contract.
—Danielle Higley, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
If your first career job is covered by a collective bargaining agreement, some of the above, such as performance reviews and layoffs, will be spelled out there.
—Amy Lindgren, Twin Cities, 24 Jan. 2026
For-profit schools multiplied, approved by the state Board of Nursing under relaxed criteria spelled out in the 2009 law.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 20 Jan. 2026
These powers spelled out in the motion brought by Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Hilda Solis will be incorporated into an ordinance that will come back to the board in 30 days for a vote.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 14 Jan. 2026
Her wardrobe functioned as parallel messaging to her husband's politics, subtly reinforcing sustainability, attention to craft, and a respect for small, independent designers without needing to be spelled out.
—Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 5 Jan. 2026
For now, there’s no plan spelled out to have American troops or administrators in Venezuela.
—Catherine Lucey, Fortune, 4 Jan. 2026
CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
In a letter to Natalie Phelps Finnie, director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, dated April 10, 2025, James Frye, vice president of governmental relations for Suntex Marinas, spelled out that the company was seeking to mutually end its state lease at North Point in Winthrop Harbor.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
When working with a new client, clearly explain the penalty for late payment and make sure it’s spelled out in the contract.
—Danielle Higley, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
If your first career job is covered by a collective bargaining agreement, some of the above, such as performance reviews and layoffs, will be spelled out there.
—Amy Lindgren, Twin Cities, 24 Jan. 2026
For-profit schools multiplied, approved by the state Board of Nursing under relaxed criteria spelled out in the 2009 law.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 20 Jan. 2026
These powers spelled out in the motion brought by Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Hilda Solis will be incorporated into an ordinance that will come back to the board in 30 days for a vote.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 14 Jan. 2026
Her wardrobe functioned as parallel messaging to her husband's politics, subtly reinforcing sustainability, attention to craft, and a respect for small, independent designers without needing to be spelled out.
—Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 5 Jan. 2026
For now, there’s no plan spelled out to have American troops or administrators in Venezuela.
—Catherine Lucey, Fortune, 4 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spelled out
Verb
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With the new headquarters, Chan explained, Bonhams hope to widen their base of collectors through their larger exhibition space and programming around how to start or improve a collection across art, jewelry, antiquities, wine and other collectibles.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
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Bryan Hoyos, the mill’s director of North American marketing, explained how HV100 utilizes variocut technology to create varying staples lengths of Tencel fiber.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As a collective, HQ Portfolio stocks have offered superior returns with reduced risk compared to the benchmark index; providing a smoother ride, as illustrated in HQ Portfolio performance metrics.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Eloise at the Plaza, which was illustrated by Hilary Knight, follows a precocious six-year-old who lives at New York’s legendary Plaza Hotel.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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By contrast, as a 2006 study from PNAS demonstrated, signature whistles serve the sole purpose of encoding identity information that other dolphins can recognize, even when stripped of individual voice characteristics.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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The Islamic Republic has demonstrated an extraordinary capacity to project and absorb pain.—
Davood Moradian,
The Atlantic,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But during this period, three crucial things happened which clarified (if not calcified) a difference in artistic approach between the two men.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
23 Jan. 2026
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The trip started after Spoelstra moved Ware to the bench and then called out Ware’s lack of consistency, comments that confused Ware and then were clarified by Spoelstra.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Even the death of Renee Good, caught on video from multiple angles, was largely interpreted in partisan ways.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
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It could also be interpreted as where the sand ends and vegetation begins, which separates public and private property.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This has also been simplified and will become a substantial area of focus for drivers and teams this year.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
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The dust grain surface is simplified, only glycine is studied, and lab timescales are much shorter than the millions of years available in space.—
William A. Haseltine,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spelled out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spelled%20out. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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