English Reference

Phrasal verb

filter out

Definition

phr.v. to remove things you do not want from a group, a liquid, or a list of information.

phr.v. to selectively remove specific elements from a larger group, flow, or dataset based on certain criteria.

Examples

“The software helps to filter out spam emails.”

“You can use the search settings to filter out results that are not in English.”

“The liver functions to filter out toxins from the blood, ensuring that essential nutrients are distributed throughout the body efficiently.”

Examples

simple

“The software helps to filter out spam emails.”

contextual

“You can use the search settings to filter out results that are not in English.”

complex

“The liver functions to filter out toxins from the blood, ensuring that essential nutrients are distributed throughout the body efficiently.”

Usage

Transitive; the object can be placed between 'filter' and 'out'.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'sort through' (which implies organizing) and 'screen' (which is more formal); use the image of a coffee filter to help students visualize the process.

Synonyms

excludescreen outsift

Antonyms

Phrasal verb

Particles

out

Separability

optional

Pattern

filter + out + object

Synonyms

Antonyms

Grammar

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference