Idiom idiom
single out
Meaning
To select (someone or something) from a group and highlight them or treat them differently.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“The teacher did not want to single out any specific student.”
“During the meeting, the manager decided to single out Sarah for her excellent work on the project.”
“Although the entire team contributed to the success, the director chose to single out the lead architect for special recognition during the ceremony.”
Origin
first recorded 17th c.
first recorded 17th c.
From the archaic intransitive verb *single*, meaning to take alone or one by one, combined with the particle *out*. The construction is first attested in 1629.
Anchors to
Last updated August 10, 2026