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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
The idea of nonfiction films so aggressively taking sides marks a departure of sorts. —Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2025 Marino’s Hollinger, particularly, becomes an adversary of sorts for Cordelia. —Jessica Wang, EW.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Verb
The company advises hopeful game-goers to select games against low-profile teams and to sort by the lowest price or best value tickets. —Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 26 Mar. 2025 Before the fourth strong contributor reveals himself, the rest of the playing rotation must sort itself out. —Kennington Smith Iii, New York Times, 26 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
  • They’re elevated off the ground and deep enough to grow flowers or veggies of all kinds.
    — Christopher Murray, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Thanks to President Donald Trump’s new tariffs on the country, that success story might be the last of its kind, for a while at least.
    — Angela Watercutter, Wired News, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of kind
Noun
  • In person, 27-year-old actress Sydney Sweeney is every bit as sweet as her doe-eyed smile and wavy blonde hair suggest.
    — Jessica Ourisman, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Had Melanie Robinson survived, the 38-year-old mother would have been arrested on capital murder of a person under 10 years old in the death of her baby, Jonas Allen.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of person
Verb
  • The thing traveled maybe 370-ish feet, just a few feet short of a home run.
    — Linda Holmes, NPR, 5 Apr. 2025
  • The other travels out of Florida twice a year with her U.S.-born child who has a disability.
    — Ana Ceballos, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2025
Definition of travel
Verb
  • Note: Most subscribers have some, but not all, of the puzzles that correspond to the following set of solutions for their local newspaper.
    — USA TODAY, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The scale is finely graduated in kilometers and corresponds to the duration divided by the speed of sound (approximately 1,240 km/h).
    — Anthony DeMarco, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Definition of correspond
Verb
  • The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the Western Santa Cruz tortoises as critically endangered, estimating approximately 3,400 tortoises remained as of 2010.
    — Ayana Archie, NPR, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Kathleen Kelley Reardon, an expert on organizational politics, classifies political environments from minimally to pathologically politicized.
    — Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of classify
Noun
  • The guy who shot that, Louis Powell, one of our South Africans, has been with the show for a very long time.
    — Dalton Ross, EW.com, 3 Apr. 2025
  • These guys fought savagely, just fought incredibly hard.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of guy
Verb
  • For the better half of the past decade, the 32-year-old Newburyport, Mass., native has been most closely associated with his role as the world's best babysitter, Steve Harrington, on Netflix's Stranger Things, a character who works at Family Video by day and fights demogorgons by night.
    — EW.com, EW.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Similar to the way Mercury retrograde is often to blame for miscommunication and misunderstandings, Venus retrograde is associated with beauty, love and self-worth.
    — Valerie Mesa, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of associate
Verb
  • Chicago Tribune The end of the ACC Tournament coincided with Notre Dame’s spring break, offering the team a few days off.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The move coincides with the Mediterranean country's growing tourism industry, which saw a 4% increase in visitor numbers between 2023 and 2024, with a steady influx of travelers throughout the year.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of coincide

Phrases Containing sort

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sorry
sort
sorted
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Cite this Entry

“Sort.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sort. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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