sort

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a group set up on the basis of any characteristic in common : class, kind
b
: one approximating the character or qualities of another
a sort of latter-day Abe Lincoln
c
: person, individual
he's not a bad sort
2
archaic : group, company
3
a
archaic : method or manner of acting : way, manner
b
: character, nature
people of an evil sort
4
a
: a letter or character that is one element of a font
b
: a character or piece of type that is not part of a regular font
5
: an instance of sorting
a numeric sort of a data file

sort

2 of 2

verb

sorted; sorting; sorts

transitive verb

1
a
: to put in a certain place or rank according to kind, class, or nature
sort apples
sort mail
b
: to arrange according to characteristics : classify
usually used with out
sort out colors
2
chiefly Scotland : to put to rights : put in order
3
a
: to examine in order to clarify
used with out
sorting out his problems
b
: to free of confusion : clarify
used with out
waited until things sorted themselves out

intransitive verb

1
: to join or associate with others especially of the same kind
sort with thieves
2
: agree, harmonize
his benign view sorts badly with realityHenry Trewhitt
3
: search
sort through some old papers
sortable adjective
sorter noun
Phrases
after a sort
: in a rough or haphazard way
plays the piano, after a sort
all sorts of
: many different : all kinds of
knows all sorts of people
of sorts or of a sort
: in some respects but not entirely or truly
a vacation of sorts
out of sorts
1
: somewhat ill
2
Choose the Right Synonym for sort

type, kind, sort, nature, description, character mean a number of individuals thought of as a group because of a common quality or qualities.

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

kind may suggest natural grouping.

a zoo seemingly having animals of every kind

sort often suggests some disparagement.

the sort of newspaper dealing in sensational stories

nature may imply inherent, essential resemblance rather than obvious or superficial likenesses.

two problems of a similar nature

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

character implies a group marked by distinctive likenesses peculiar to the type.

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

Examples of sort in a Sentence

Noun What sort of car do you drive? He's not a bad sort. She's not the sort to complain. The program did a numeric sort of the data. Verb She started to sort the mail. They sorted the winners from the losers. The program can sort data alphabetically or numerically.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Editor’s picks So Elodie goes along with the wedding and is content to be whisked away right after the ceremony in a golden coach to what she’s told will be a special reception of sorts. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2024 But in recent months, the two men have had a détente of sorts: Trump has not attacked McConnell, and Trump adviser Chris LaCivita and McConnell adviser Josh Holmes have spoken for several months about the possibility of an endorsement, as the New York Times first reported. Josh Dawsey, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Some scientists suggest that your biological clock gets out of sorts. Amy Huschka, Detroit Free Press, 6 Mar. 2024 The justices sidestepped the politically fraught issue of insurrection in their opinions Monday, but some Trump critics pointed to the silence on that topic as a victory of sorts because the court failed to absolve him of responsibility for the Capitol riot. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 5 Mar. 2024 That might not be the most sound solution for a team facing a rebuild of sorts. Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 5 Mar. 2024 Also this week, Addis was a key player in the formation of a new alliance of sorts, one that involves spitfire Kim Mattina, 63. Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2024 DeSantis made a victory lap of sorts during a news conference at Disney World, touting a first-round victory in litigation with Disney over who controls the district, which had been led by Disney supporters for more than five decades until the takeover last year. Mike Schneider, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2024 Despite being outside of their classic remit, this is actually their second book and is a sequel of sorts to their first release The Distilleries of Great Britain & Ireland: A Journey Through the Heartlands of Whisky 1922-1929. Mark Littler, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024
Verb
All this mess would be sorted and sent to different waste centers to responsibly dispose of the material, according to Cain. Justin Wm. Moyer, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Researchers collected data from 2011 to 2018 via the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and then sorted it into groups. Laura Hensley, Verywell Health, 1 Mar. 2024 The talking sorting sat is an unmissable addition to any collection of Harry Potter Lego sets. Melissa Epifano, EW.com, 1 Mar. 2024 Photos show researchers sorting their finds at the site. Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2024 Dive in, start sorting, and plan a yard, eBay or Etsy sale. Amy Dickinson, The Denver Post, 17 Feb. 2024 This year, Nike and Fanatics sorted players by four body types based on body-scanning of about 300 players and gave them three options — slim, regular, or baggy fit. Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2024 Non-manufacturing countries with poor infrastructure for collecting, sorting, and recycling textiles will face stiff challenges in neutralizing the cost of mounting clothing and textile waste, never mind developing a valuable economy from it. Brooke Roberts-Islam, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 Related Once the technical and animated details were sorted, the team had one last important step to figure out: how to get SpongeBob and Patrick to become sports commentators. Krystie Lee Yandoli, Rolling Stone, 14 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sort.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, fate, lot, characteristic, from Latin sort-, sors lot, share, category — more at series

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sort was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near sort

Cite this Entry

“Sort.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sort. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sort

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: a group of persons or things that have something in common : class
b
: person sense 1, individual
not a bad sort
2
a
archaic : method or manner of acting : way, manner
b
: general disposition : nature
people of an evil sort

sort

2 of 2 verb
1
: to separate and arrange by kind or class : classify
sort mail
sort out socks by color
2
: agree sense 6, suit
our views sort poorly with theirs
3
: search
sort through some old papers
sorter noun

More from Merriam-Webster on sort

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