sort

[sɔːt]

sort Definition

• 1. a category of people or things with a common feature; a type.
• 2. arrange 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

Synonyms for sort

• type
• kind
• variety
• category
• class

Antonyms for sort

• disorder
• mishmash

Phrases with sort

• all sorts of

  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.

• sort of

  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.