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Glite Dictionary
🥊 A public challenge 📢 Public criticism
call-out

call-out

7.8
A public challenge asking someone to fight or compete
  • noun
  • /ˈkɔːl aʊt/
translation icon : desafío público
  • The athlete received a public call-out from his rival, challenging him to a rematch next month.

Examples

  • I've got a call out... but page me or call me on the cell phone when you get in so I know you're okay...

    Fiction book (1998)

  • During the press conference, the reporter made a call-out to the player, suggesting he needed to improve his performance.

  • After the incident, there was a significant call-out from the community, urging the officials to address the issue.

Synonyms

confrontation
vscall-out
294 4.5

A situation when people or groups meet in direct conflict, often angrily

is a public explicit act aimed at provoking a direct clash
provocation
vscall-out
58 7.2

An action or comment that makes someone react, often making them angry

is a public explicit challenge rather than a general cause of anger
run-in
vscall-out
  • Informal
41 5.2

An angry argument with someone

is a public intentional challenge meant to provoke an open fight
face-off
vscall-out
10 5.3

A tense meeting between two people or groups on opposite sides

is a public explicit challenge meant to start that confrontation
sparring
vscall-out
4 5.8

A short angry argument where people try to gain an advantage

is a public single challenge intended to start a real confrontation

How Challenging

call-out
7.8
to throw down a challenge
  • Informal
1 5.4
to challenge
355 3.0
match
517 1.4

Surface Forms

call-out singular
call-outs plural

Morphology

call-out = call (semi-transparent) = out + call

The components clearly suggest the phrasal-verb basis 'call out', but the specific noun sense of a public confrontation is a conventional extension rather than a fully literal composition. [Postprocessing: moved 'out' from base_words to prefix]

Etymology

Call-out comes from the simple phrase call + out, like loudly asking someone to 'come out' to face you. That's why a call-out can mean a public challenge to fight or compete, because you are asking someone to step forward.