sort
A1Neutral (common in all registers)
Definition
Meaning
A category or type sharing common characteristics.
To arrange items systematically into categories; also used to describe a person's character (e.g., 'a good sort') or to mean 'solve/fix' (e.g., 'sort out a problem').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun and verb. As a noun, refers to a kind or class. As a verb, means to classify or arrange. Used informally in phrasal verbs like 'sort out'. Can be vague in plural phrases like 'all sorts of things'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Phrasal verb 'sort out' is more frequent in BrE; AmE may prefer 'figure out' or 'solve'. Noun use 'a sort of' for approximation is common in both. Informal BrE uses 'sort of' as a filler hedge (like 'kind of').
Connotations
In BrE, 'a good sort' informally describes a decent, reliable person. This usage is rare in AmE.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in British English corpus data, largely due to higher use of phrasal verbs and informal hedging 'sort of'.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
sort [OBJECT] (by/into/according to [CRITERIA])sort [OBJECT] outsort of [VERB/ADJECTIVE] (hedge)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “sort of thing”
- “out of sorts (feeling unwell/irritable)”
- “it takes all sorts”
- “sort someone out (deal with them, possibly confrontationally)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
To sort data, sort by date, sort out the logistics.
Academic
Different sorts of methodologies; to sort specimens into taxa.
Everyday
What sort of music do you like? I need to sort my clothes.
Technical
Sort algorithm (computing); bubble sort, quick sort.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Could you sort these documents by date, please?
- We need to sort out the travel arrangements for the team.
- He spent the afternoon sorting through his old vinyl records.
American English
- The program can sort the list alphabetically.
- Let's sort this problem out before the meeting.
- She sorted the laundry into lights and darks.
adverb
British English
- It's sort of raining outside, so maybe take a coat.
- I'm sort of tired, to be honest.
American English
- I sort of understand what you're saying.
- It was sort of a disappointment.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I like this sort of cake.
- Sort the cards by colour.
- There are all sorts of animals in the zoo.
- Can you sort out the bill, please?
- What sort of job are you looking for?
- She's a friendly sort of person.
- The software sorts the data into relevant categories automatically.
- He felt out of sorts after the long flight.
- We encountered all sorts of difficulties during the project.
- The new policy is a palliative measure of sorts, but fails to address the root cause.
- She deftly sorted through the conflicting evidence to identify the key trends.
- It was one of those surreal, David Lynch-esque sorts of experiences.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
SORT sounds like 'short' – you make a list SHORT by SORTing items into groups.
Conceptual Metaphor
ORGANIZATION IS ORDER (sorting brings order from chaos); CATEGORIES ARE CONTAINERS (a sort is a mental container for similar items).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'sport'.
- Avoid translating Russian 'сорт' (grade, as in produce) directly to 'sort' for everything; use 'grade', 'quality', or 'type' where appropriate.
- The phrase 'of sorts' (e.g., 'a solution of sorts') means an imperfect or approximate kind, not just any kind.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'sort' as a countable noun without article/determiner (INCORRECT: 'It is sort of car'; CORRECT: 'It is a sort of car').
- Overusing 'sort of' as a vague filler in speech.
- Confusing 'sort out' (solve/organize) with 'sort' (classify).
Practice
Quiz
In British English, if someone says 'I'll sort him out', what might they mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, 'sort of' used as a hedge (e.g., 'I'm sort of tired') is informal. In formal writing, use 'rather', 'somewhat', or 'a type of'.
In UK and Irish banking, a sort code is a 6-digit number that identifies the bank and branch for a bank account. It is not used in American English (where 'routing number' is used).
They are largely synonymous. 'Sort' is slightly more informal than 'kind'. 'Type' can sound more technical. 'Sort of' is more common as a verbal hedge than 'kind of' in BrE.
Typically, 'sort of' is used with singular countable or plural nouns (a sort of car, all sorts of ideas). With uncountables, it's often 'sort of' as a modifier (sort of information) or 'all sorts of' (all sorts of research).