sort 1 of 2

noun

ˈsȯrt How to pronounce sort (audio)
Definition of sortnext
1
as in kind
a number of persons or things that are grouped together because they have something in common I prefer jackets with zippers to the sort that close with buttons

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2
as in person
a member of the human race he's a decent sort

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sort

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to travel
to come or be together as friends you should be careful about whom you sort with

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to correspond
to be in agreement on every point that doesn't sort with what you said the last time

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to classify
to arrange or assign according to type sorted the mail into bills to be paid and junk to be thrown out

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word sort distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of sort are character, description, kind, nature, and type. While all these words mean "a number of individuals thought of as a group because of a common quality or qualities," sort often suggests some disparagement.

the sort of newspaper dealing in sensational stories

In what contexts can character take the place of sort?

While the synonyms character and sort are close in meaning, character implies a group marked by distinctive likenesses peculiar to the type.

research on the subject so far has been of an elementary character

When is it sensible to use description instead of sort?

The words description and sort can be used in similar contexts, but description implies a group marked by agreement in all details belonging to a type as described or defined.

not all acts of that description are actually illegal

When might kind be a better fit than sort?

The synonyms kind and sort are sometimes interchangeable, but kind may suggest natural grouping.

a zoo seemingly having animals of every kind

When could nature be used to replace sort?

While in some cases nearly identical to sort, nature may imply inherent, essential resemblance rather than obvious or superficial likenesses.

two problems of a similar nature

When is type a more appropriate choice than sort?

In some situations, the words type and sort are roughly equivalent. However, type may suggest strong and clearly marked similarity throughout the items included so that each is typical of the group.

one of three basic body types

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 sort
Noun
Lining up outside a longtime establishment to give it one last go has become a Charlotte tradition of sorts. —Laura Barrero, Axios, 14 Mar. 2025 Earlier this week, Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk appeared at the White House, where Trump gave a Tesla sales pitch of sorts, got behind the wheel of a Tesla, and pledged to purchase a Cybertruck for his 17-year-old granddaughter. —Michael Kan, PCMAG, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
Per the memo, the countries on the list would be sorted into three different tiers: red, orange, and yellow. —Rebecca Schneid, TIME, 15 Mar. 2025 These kids can set the table, feed pets, water plants, and help sort laundry. —Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sort
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sort
  1. kind
  2. person
  3. travel
  4. correspond
  5. classify
  6. guy
  7. associate
  8. coincide
Noun
  • View Recipe Fruits of all kinds, especially berries, grapes, apples, and citrus, are celebrated by health experts for their anti-inflammatory properties.
    — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Maybe not, and hopefully not, to the same extent—hopefully not ever finding themselves in the position of total dependence on Russian energy of any kind.
    — Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of kind
Noun
  • Loading your audio article One person was killed and three others were injured when a pickup truck collided with a group of dirt bike riders in Voluntown on Monday.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2025
  • At least one person was killed and 18 injured, according to a CNN tally of figures released by various Ukrainian officials.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of person
Verb
  • Until an hour or so prior, Messi’s presence on the traveling roster was uncertain, with the Argentine not having played in the club’s previous three matches.
    — Pablo Maurer, The Athletic, 13 Mar. 2025
  • The difference is, these changes tended to be customizations that still showed off the brand as a point of pride, whereas what drivers across the U.S. have noticed for the better part of a year now are Teslas traveling incognito, under a different corporate banner.
    — Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of travel
Verb
  • Under Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman, the Space Force has defined a highly effective strategy; corresponding operational concepts and technologies; and a new training regimen to ensure U.S. equities in space are secured.
    — David A. Deptula, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
  • The equation no longer corresponds to a Turing machine that computes perfect squares—and, more generally, the Diophantine equations can no longer encode the halting problem.
    — Joseph Howlett, WIRED, 9 Mar. 2025
Definition of correspond
Verb
  • More: Trump releases classified JFK files on assassination.
    — Josh Meyer, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
  • In order to be classified as gin, the spirit’s most prominent flavor must be piney, cool juniper.
    — Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of classify
Noun
  • This, again, is about getting the right guy for an important role.
    — Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2025
  • And that was done mostly wordlessly in a drugged stupor, so that was always going to be a challenge, not to just be the boring guy falling asleep.
    — Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 10 Mar. 2025
Definition of guy
Verb
  • Because my instinct was to run away and not be associated with this thing.
    — H. Alan Scott, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Lowers the Risk of Gallbladder Disease Research shows that fiber intake is directly associated with a person's risk of gallbladder disease.
    — Kathi Valeii Published, Verywell Health, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of associate
Verb
  • Her Forest appointment coincided with the hiring of Dave Long — former Forest boys academy coach and women’s football coach developer and talent reporter — as head of the girls’ academy.
    — Megan Feringa, The Athletic, 16 Mar. 2025
  • The purging of bureaucrats has often coincided with zealous announcements of a new golden age.
    — Charlie Tyson, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of coincide

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Cite this Entry

“Sort.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sort. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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