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Sort out meaning

Sort out means to deal with a problem so it is solved. It can also mean to make a place or a group of things tidy and organised.

Check yourself: 3 questions

sort something out

sort out · sorted · sorting

B2Separable+2 more meanings

Don’t worry. I’ll sort out the problem with the bank.

Sort out meanings and examples

3 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.

  1. 1deal with a problem so it is solved
  2. 2make a place or a group of things tidy and organised
  3. 3take one type of thing out of a mixed group
  1. 1

    Deal with a problem so it is solved

    sort something out

    B2Separable

    • Don’t worry. I’ll sort out the problem with the bank.
    • Have you sorted out your visa yet?
    • They had a fight, but they sorted it out.
  2. 2

    Make a place or a group of things tidy and organised

    sort something out

    B1Separable

    • I need to sort out my wardrobe this weekend.
    • Can you help me sort these old photos out?
    • The garage is a mess. Let’s sort it out.
  3. 3

    Take one type of thing out of a mixed group

    sort something out

    B2Separable

    • Sort out the white clothes before you wash them.
    • We sorted out the toys we don’t need for the charity shop.
    • Could you sort the bad apples out?
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Is sort out separable?

Sort out is separable: sort out the problem, sort the problem out. With a pronoun, it goes in the middle: sort it out, not sort out it.

Sort yourself out (UK) means fix your own life or problems. Sorted! is a UK informal way to say the problem is solved.

Verb tenses for sort out

PresentI sort out · she sorts out
Pastsorted out
Present perfecthave sorted out
-ing formsorting out

Common mistakes with sort out

What learners often say, and what to say instead.

  • Wrong: There’s a problem, but we’ll sort out it.

    Right: There’s a problem, but we’ll sort it out.

    A pronoun goes between sort and out.

  • Wrong: I need to sort out with my landlord about the heating.

    Right: I need to sort things out with my landlord about the heating.

    Sort out needs an object. Use sort things out with someone.

  • Wrong: I sorted out of my desk.

    Right: I sorted out my desk.

    No of. The thing comes straight after sort out.

Synonyms and opposites of sort out

Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.

Similar

Opposite

Sort out quiz

Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.

  1. 1The Wi-Fi isn’t working. Can you ___?

  2. 2Choose the right sentence.

  3. 3Your mum says, “Please sort out your room.” What should you do?

Find your level

The phrasal verbs test adapts as you answer, from A2 to C1, and shows which ones you miss.

Test yourself on sort outTake the full test

Sort out FAQ

Questions people ask about sort out.

What does sorted mean in British English?

Sorted means fixed or ready. Need a lift? Sorted. My brother will drive you. It is informal.

Sort out vs figure out: what is the difference?

Figure out means understand or find an answer. Sort out means take action so a problem is solved. First you figure out why, then you sort it out.

Is sort out British?

It is used in both, but much more in the UK. In US English, people often say work out, fix or take care of.

Use sort out in real conversations

In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.

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