spell out

verb

spelled out; spelling out; spells out

transitive verb

1
: to make plain
spelled out the orders in detail
2
: to write or print in letters and in full
numbers are to be spelled out

Examples of spell out in a Sentence

the dating applicant spelled out exactly what she wanted in a man
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The mother-daughter duo posed in front of a wall of balloons that spelled out the baby girl's name as strings of roses hung from the ceiling. Kayla Grant, People.com, 15 Feb. 2025 The Last Ranger, making one wonder: Do Academy voters need the theme of every movie spelled out for them in bold typeface? Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Feb. 2025 What gives this away is that Lopez’s shows often revolve around a key idea that examines both his identity and the zeitgeist, and this concept is almost always spelled out by the speakers that line each runway. José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 12 Feb. 2025 Those caveats were spelled out in a memo Emil Bove, Trump’s ex-personal defense attorney and now No. 2 at the Justice Department, sent to the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office Monday night. Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 12 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for spell out 

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spell out was in 1940

Dictionary Entries Near spell out

Cite this Entry

“Spell out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spell%20out. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

spell out

verb
1
: to make very plain
our duties were spelled out
2
: to write or print in letters and in full

More from Merriam-Webster on spell out

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!