Phrasal verb
hash out
Definition
phrasal verb. to talk about something in detail until you reach an agreement or solve a problem. You use this when you have a disagreement or a complicated plan to finish.
phrasal verb. to discuss something at length and in detail, typically to resolve a dispute or finalize a plan. Transitive; implies a process of negotiation or collaborative problem-solving.
Examples
“We need to hash out the details of the contract.”
“The two managers spent the entire afternoon in the office trying to hash out their differences before the meeting.”
“Diplomats from both nations convened in a neutral territory to hash out the final clauses of the peace treaty despite significant ideological friction.”
Examples
simple
“We need to hash out the details of the contract.”
contextual
“The two managers spent the entire afternoon in the office trying to hash out their differences before the meeting.”
complex
“Diplomats from both nations convened in a neutral territory to hash out the final clauses of the peace treaty despite significant ideological friction.”
Usage
usually takes a problem, a plan, or a disagreement as its object.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'discuss' or 'argue'; 'hash out' implies a productive, though perhaps difficult, process of reaching a conclusion.
Pitfall
We need to hash out about the plan.
We need to hash out the plan.
the verb is transitive and takes the topic directly as an object without the preposition 'about'.
Phrasal verb
Particles
out
Separability
optional
Pattern
hash + out + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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