Sort — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈsȯrt/

Meaning & Definition of Sort

Sort (noun)

  1. a group set up on the basis of any characteristic in common, class, kind
  2. one approximating the character or qualities of another
  3. person, individual

Sort (verb)

  1. to put in a certain place, order, or group according to characteristics —often used with out
  2. to put to rights, put in order
  3. to examine in order to clarify —used with out

Sort (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: breed, class, description, feather, genre, ilk, kidney, kind, like, manner, nature, order, species, strain, stripe, type, variety
    related: model, sample, specimen, bracket, bunch, category, division, family, grade, group, grouping, lot, persuasion, rank(s), set, suite

  2. a member of the human race

    "he's a decent sort"

    similar: baby, being, bird, bod (British), body, character, cookie, creature, customer, devil, duck, egg, face, fish, guy, head, human, human being, individual, life, man, mortal, party, person, personage, scout, slob, soul, specimen, stiff, thing, wight, son of man
    related: hominid, homo, humanoid, brother, fellow, fellowman, neighbor, celebrity, personality, self, somebody
    near: animal, beast, beastie, brute, critter

Sort (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to arrange or assign according to type

    "sorted the mail into bills to be paid and junk to be thrown out"

    similar: assort, break down, categorize, class, classify, codify, compartment, compartmentalize, digest, distinguish, distribute, grade, group, peg, place, range, rank, relegate, separate, type
    related: array, dispose, draw up, marshal, order, organize, systematize, alphabetize, catalog, file, index, list, refer, pigeonhole, shelve, identify, recognize, cull, screen, set, sieve, sift, winnow, clump, cluster, colligate, recategorize, reclassify, regroup, subcategorize
    near: confuse, disarrange, jumble, lump, mix (up), scramble, misclassify, missort, mistype

  2. to come or be together as friends

    "you should be careful about whom you sort with"

    similar: associate, chum, company, consociate, consort, fraternize, hang (around or out), hobnob, hook up, mess around, pal (around), run, travel, be friends with, fall in with, keep company (with), rub elbows (with), take up with
    related: affiliate, ally, attach, band, bond, club, collaborate, collude, confederate, conjoin, connect, cooperate, couple, gang, get along, get on, group, interrelate, join, knot, league, link, mingle, mix, rally, relate, side, socialize, team, tie, wed, befriend, friend
    near: avoid, cold-shoulder, shun, snub, alienate, estrange, break up, disband, disperse, split (up), disjoin, dissociate, disunite, divorce, sever, split, sunder

  3. to be in agreement on every point

    "that doesn't sort with what you said the last time"

    similar: accord, agree, answer, check, chord, cohere, coincide, comport, conform, consist, correspond, dovetail, fit, go, harmonize, jibe, rhyme, square, tally, fall in with
    related: equal, match, parallel, align, line up, register
    opposite: differ (from), disagree (with)
    near: contradict, dispute, gainsay, negate, nullify, clash, conflict, jar

Related Entry: Sort (through) (verb)

Sort (through) is a different word from Sort. The synonyms below are for sort (through), not for sort.

  1. to look through (as a place) carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something

    "I sorted through the pile of magazines until I found the article I was looking for"

    similar: comb, dig (through), dredge, hunt (through), rake, ransack, rifle, rummage, scour, search, troll
    related: frisk, pat down, shake down, audit, check (out), examine, inspect, investigate, review, scan, scrutinize, survey, ascertain, descry, detect, determine, discover, ferret (out), find, find out, get, hit (on or upon), learn, locate, run down, scare up, track (down), grub (about), poke (around), explore, probe, prospect, skirmish, snoop, browse, glance (over), look over, peruse, study
    near: hide, abandon, lose, ignore, neglect

Related Entry: Sort of (adverb)

Sort of is a different word from Sort. The synonyms below are for sort of, not for sort.

  1. to some degree or extent

    "you've been acting sort of funny all week"

    similar: enough, fairly, kind of, kindly (chiefly Southern), like, moderately, more or less, pretty, quite, rather, relatively, something, somewhat, a bit, after a sort, a little, a mite, a tad, a touch, of sorts, to a degree
    related: acceptably, decently, passably, tolerably, little, negligibly, nominally, slightly, vaguely, half, halfway, incompletely, part, partially, partly, partway
    near: awfully, beastly, deadly, especially, exceedingly, exceptionally, extremely, frightfully, greatly, heavily, highly, hugely, mightily, mortally, particularly, surpassingly, terribly, very, considerably, extensively, significantly, substantially

Related Entry: After a sort (phrase)

After a sort is a different word from Sort. The synonyms below are for after a sort, not for sort.

  1. to some degree or extent

    "He's a jogger, after a sort."

    similar: enough, fairly, kindly (chiefly Southern), kind of, like, moderately, more or less, pretty, quite, rather, relatively, something, somewhat, sort of, a bit, a little, a mite, a tad, a touch, of sorts, to a degree
    related: acceptably, decently, passably, tolerably, little, negligibly, nominally, slightly, vaguely, half, halfway, incompletely, part, partially, partly, partway
    near: awfully, beastly, deadly, especially, exceedingly, exceptionally, extremely, frightfully, greatly, heavily, highly, hugely, mightily, mortally, particularly, surpassingly, terribly, very, considerably, extensively, significantly, substantially

Related Entry: Of sorts (phrase)

Of sorts is a different word from Sort. The synonyms below are for of sorts, not for sort.

  1. to some degree or extent

    "Sure, they have clam chowder of sorts in Manhattan."

    similar: enough, fairly, kindly (chiefly Southern), kind of, like, moderately, more or less, pretty, quite, rather, relatively, something, somewhat, sort of, a bit, after a sort, a little, a mite, a tad, a touch, to a degree
    related: acceptably, decently, passably, tolerably, little, negligibly, nominally, slightly, vaguely, half, halfway, incompletely, part, partially, partly, partway
    near: awfully, beastly, deadly, especially, exceedingly, exceptionally, extremely, frightfully, greatly, heavily, highly, hugely, mightily, mortally, particularly, surpassingly, terribly, very, considerably, extensively, significantly, substantially

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Sort

The most common words with a similar meaning to Sort:

British: bod
breed, class, description, feather, genre, ilk, kidney, kind, like, manner, nature, order, species, strain, stripe, type, variety, baby, being, bird, body, character, cookie, creature, customer, devil, duck, egg, face, fish, guy, head, human, human being, individual, life, man, mortal, party, person

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Sort

Words with the opposite meaning of Sort:

differ (from), disagree (with)

Related Words for Sort

model, sample, bracket, bunch, category, division, family, grouping, lot, persuasion, rank(s), set, suite, hominid, homo, humanoid, brother, fellow, fellowman, neighbor, celebrity, personality, self, somebody, array, dispose, draw up, marshal, organize, systematize

Near Antonyms of Sort

animal, beast, beastie, brute, critter, confuse, disarrange, jumble, lump, mix (up), scramble, misclassify, missort, mistype, avoid, cold-shoulder, shun, snub, alienate, estrange, break up, disband, disperse, split (up), disjoin, dissociate, disunite, divorce, sever, split

Word Forms of Sort

Inflections: sorted, sorting, sorts

Derived words: sortable (adjective), sorter (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Sort

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

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Sort

Words & Phrases Containing Sort

sort of, sort out, sort-out, sort through, after a sort, re-sort, nothing of the sort, of the sort

Frequently Asked Questions about Sort

What does "Sort" mean?

"Sort" means a group set up on the basis of any characteristic in common, class, kind. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a group set up on the basis of any characteristic in common, class, kind. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Sort"?

Other words for "Sort" include breed, class, description, feather, genre, ilk, kidney and kind. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Sort" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Sort"?

There are 195 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Sort". Common alternatives include breed, class, description, feather, genre, ilk, kidney, kind, like and manner.

What is the opposite of "Sort"?

Antonyms of "Sort" include differ (from) and disagree (with). Near antonyms include animal, beast, beastie and brute.

How do you use "Sort" in a sentence?

Examples of "Sort" in a sentence: "I prefer jackets with zippers to the sort that close with buttons"; "he's a decent sort"; "sorted the mail into bills to be paid and junk to be thrown out".

Is "Sort" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Sort" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Sort" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Sort" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Sort"?

"Sort" is pronounced /ˈsȯrt/.