sort out

1 of 2

phrasal verb

sorted out; sorting out; sorts out

1

: to understand or find (something, such as a reason or a solution) by thinking

I'm trying to sort out a way to do it.

2

: to find an answer or solution for (something)

He's still trying to sort out his problems.

We need to get these problems sorted out as soon as possible.

They couldn't come up with a solution and decided to wait to see whether problem sorted itself out.

3

: to solve the problems of (someone)

They're still trying to sort their son out.

I just need a little more time to sort myself out.

4

British, informal : to deal in a forceful way with (someone who is causing problems)

I told my brother they were bullying me, and he promised to sort them out (for me).

sort-out

2 of 2

noun

British

: an activity in which someone makes a room, closet, etc., neat and organized

Let's have a sort-out of the attic.

Examples of sort out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Phrasal verb

In most economies, the market would sort out this mess by culling the weakest players. —Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 11 Nov. 2025

The halt in funding has sent district leaders scrambling to sort out their finances and keep their doors open, school officials previously told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. —Kayla Huynh, jsonline.com, 11 Nov. 2025

Tyreek Hill wants to return to the Dolphins, per his agent, but that must be sorted out. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 9 Nov. 2025

The matters being sorted out in the lab and in the field are not just technical and medical. —Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 6 Nov. 2025

Rhymes for sort out

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout