spelling out

verb

present participle of spell out
as in explaining
to make plain or understandable the dating applicant spelled out exactly what she wanted in a man

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of spelling out The Secretary of State's office also released a contingency plan spelling out exactly how a statewide hand recount would be run if Lindell posts the bond by Monday's deadline. — Eric Henderson, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026 Existing plans must also mail every enrollee an Annual Notice of Change around the same time, spelling out exactly what that person’s premium, deductible and covered drugs will look like in January. — Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 After a court filing spelling out the agreement came during the last hour of trading on Wall Street, shares in Paramount added to what was already a lackluster day. — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 24 July 2026 The motion was denied, and in the early hours of June 13, the center removed the letters spelling out the president’s name. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 9 July 2026 The doctor has a right to contest these before a health law judge or the commission issues a final order spelling out any disciplinary action or dropping the case. — Ashley Hiruko, ProPublica, 8 July 2026 The two sides still have to finalize agreements spelling out the services that will be provided at each venue by July 2027. — David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2026 Coupal initially stood his ground, but later issued a letter spelling out terms for the eventual agreement. — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 26 June 2026 After a day of legal maneuvers and thunderstorms, workers began the process in the early morning hours of removing the letters spelling out the Republican president’s name from the facade of the iconic performing arts venue. — Steven Sloan, Fortune, 13 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spelling out
  1. explaining
  2. illustrating
  3. clarifying
  4. demonstrating
  5. getting across
Verb
  • Lanterns wastes little time explaining this backstory ad nauseam and instead creates an immediately inviting dynamic between him and Hal, who comes to him demanding information on Manhunters.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Washington recognizes this development, explaining efforts to quietly shift assets and troops to bases further away from Iran.
    — Alexander Langlois, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of explaining
Verb
  • Koontz, who is famously devoted to his dogs, delivers a book of nail-biting suspense that’s packed with emotion, illustrating how an expert blends genres.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The crossing of the $30 trillion mark only dates back to January 2022, illustrating the rapid growth in federal borrowing needs.
    — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of illustrating
Verb
  • The city also installed new signs in parks clarifying the changes.
    — Ashley Portillo, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Organizations achieving meaningful value are redesigning workflows, establishing governance frameworks, investing in workforce readiness and clarifying accountability alongside technology deployment.
    — Jayasri Ranganathan, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of clarifying
Verb
  • The contests appear to be designed for virality, with young competitors often demonstrating exaggerated versions of popular TikTok dance moves for the audience.
    — Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Finally, Pivot Toward Relevance by integrating allyship into daily operations and business strategy, demonstrating its direct impact on performance and career growth.
    — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of demonstrating
Verb
  • For getting up the hill and getting across the flatter sections.
    — Outside Online, Outside Online, 7 Jan. 2026
  • The issue has been discussed within Congress for years and has received bipartisan support, but obstacles have repeatedly stopped the effort from getting across the finish line.
    — Jared Gans, The Hill, 11 Dec. 2025
Definition of getting across

Browse Nearby Words

spelling
spelling out
spell out
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Cite this Entry

“Spelling out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spelling%20out. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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