to sort

Examples

• All

• We're gonna sort this out in a minute, okay?

  Ezra (2024)

• I just haven't really gotten around to sorting it yet.

  Doctor Jekyll (2023)

• I said stay home while I sort out everything!

  Love Lies Bleeding (2024)

• And I will sort all this out.

  A Man Called Otto (2022)

• This method is a way to sort things into categories.

  Evan Carmichael

• In particular, measures of health care quality may be necessary to sort out why disease rates vary across areas.

  Academic text (2011)

• The data were further sorted under various themes and different categories of responses.

  Academic text (2011)

• We see a vast room filled with hundreds of people sorting and moving mail.

  Fiction book (1990)

• After they identify characteristics, they may sort these into essential and non-essential characteristics.

  Academic text (1992)

• Gomez winds an old Victrola as he sorts through a pile of 78s.

  Fiction book (1991)

Synonyms

S

to separate

vsto sort

225 2.3

To tell how two things are different

focuses more on creating groups rather than only showing differences

O

to order

vsto sort

201 1.0

To put things in a neat sequence

is about dividing into groups rather than primarily making a sequence

A

to arrange

vsto sort

162 1.7

To put things or information in a clear, neat order

relates more to grouping by type or suitability than to neatness

C

to classify

vsto sort

110 3.4

To put people or things into groups based on shared features

focuses more on dividing by type or suitability than only traits

C

to categorize

vsto sort

• US

59 3.5

To put things or people into groups by what they have in common

is broader, also including dividing by usefulness or suitability

G

to group

vsto sort

38 1.2

To put people and things together by type or purpose

also implies splitting into groups based on type or suitability

S

to sort out

vsto sort

37 2.8

To put things into groups and into the right order

has the same meaning but appears as the single main term rather than a phrase

D

to distribute

vsto sort

23 3.1

Place things evenly in a space

focuses on making groups by type or suitability rather than spatial placing

C

to class

vsto sort

19 2.9

To put people or things into groups by shared features

is more general and can include grouping by suitability as well

A

to assort

vsto sort

17 4.2

Put things into groups that are alike

adds that selection can be driven by suitability as well as similarity

A

to alphabetize

vsto sort

• US

14 3.2

Arrange words or items in the order of the alphabet

is broader and includes many other grouping criteria beyond letters

S

to sieve

vsto sort

1 5.6

Examine information carefully to find what is important

is a general grouping action rather than a careful filtering process

O

to ordinate

vsto sort

8.2

To put things in order so they are easy to find

emphasizes making groups by type rather than fixing a sequence

Antonyms

S

to scatter

110 2.7

To make people or animals move quickly in different directions

D

to disarrange

1 6.4

To make something messy or not in the right order

Idioms

S

sort of

• Informal

∞ 2.1

To some degree but not completely

Phrasal Verbs

S

to sort out

222 2.7

To find and fix a problem or confusion

S

to sort out

37 2.8

To put things into groups and into the right order

S

to sort oneself out

• Informal

2 5.9

To put your life and thoughts in order when you feel confused

S

to sort by date

1 2.8

Arrange items in order by date, newest or oldest first

S

to sort through the dross

• Informal

8.7

To look through a group of things and keep what is useful

Compounds

S

sort program

• Specialized

4.1

A computer tool that puts items in order by letters or numbers

How Organized

to systematize

• US

3 6.7

to organize

• US

662 1.6

to sort

451 1.0

to categorize

• US

59 3.5

to separate

297 1.9

Surface Forms

Etymology