call out

British  

verb

1. to utter aloud, esp loudly

2. (tr) to summon

3. (tr) to order (workers) to strike

4. (tr) to summon (an employee) to work at a time outside his normal working hours, usually in an emergency

5. (tr) to challenge to a duel

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call out Idioms  

1. Summon into action or service, as in The governor called out the militia . [Mid-1400s]

2. Challenge to a fight, as in To avenge the insult, Arthur called him out . This term originated with dueling and is dying out. [Early 1800s]

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Example Sentences

The song harks back to his roots in the underground rap scene, where he used music to call out corruption and other social problems in Nepal.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

Somewhat confusingly Berkshire didn’t call out the $1.6 billion goodwill write-down related to certain units in its earnings release Saturday.

From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026

In a conversation with the Bulwark’s Tim Miller immediately following Spanberger’s response, Buttigieg pointed out Americans’ anxieties surrounding affordability and homed in on a way to call out the GOP’s hypocrisy.

From Salon • Feb. 25, 2026

Due to its realistic nature and unauthorized use of the actors’ likenesses, both SAG-AFTRA and MPA were among the first to call out the platform.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2026

Sheed was quick to call out nonsense, but quiet when he couldn’t argue.

From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles

Related Words

• ask for
• assert
• call for
• claim
• confront
• defy
• demand
• denounce
• impose
• require
• test
• try