sort

[sɔːt]

sort Definition

  • 1a category of people or things with a common feature; a type.
  • 2arrange systematically in groups; separate according to type, class, etc.

Using sort: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "sort" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    What sort of music do you like?

  • Example

    I need to sort my clothes before packing.

  • Example

    He's not the sort of person who would lie.

  • Example

    She sorted the books into alphabetical order.

  • Example

    The company sorts its employees into different departments.

sort Synonyms and Antonyms

Antonyms for sort

Phrases with sort

  • many different kinds of

    Example

    We saw all sorts of animals at the zoo.

  • of a sort

    not very good or not very much like the thing that was expected

    Example

    The party was a success of a sort, but not many people showed up.

  • used to suggest that something is not exactly as stated, or that the speaker is not sure about what they are saying

    Example

    I'm sort of tired. / It's sort of like a bicycle, but with three wheels.

Origins of sort

from Old French 'sorte', meaning 'kind'

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Summary: sort in Brief

The word 'sort' [sɔːt] refers to a category of people or things with a common feature, such as 'What sort of music do you like?' It can also mean to arrange systematically in groups, exemplified by 'She sorted the books into alphabetical order.' The phrase 'all sorts of' means many different kinds of, while 'of a sort' suggests something is not very good or not very much like the thing that was expected. 'Sort of' is used to suggest that something is not exactly as stated or that the speaker is not sure about what they are saying.

How do native speakers use this expression?