separate out
phrasal verb
separated out; separating out; separates out
: to remove (someone or something) from a group
Before you put out the trash, you have to separate out the bottles and cans.
Most schools separate out children with learning problems.
Examples of separate out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Researchers separated out a group of patients who took their medication for at least a full 120 days, to make sure the difference couldn’t be chalked up to one group being more adherent than the other.
—
Isabella Cueto, STAT, 22 May 2024
Instead of trying to count each microplastic particle, the researchers were able to quantify the total amount of plastic by dissolving all the biological tissue and separating out the solids.
—Will Stone, NPR, 22 May 2024
So systems biologists like me often sequence all the DNA present in a sample – for example, a fecal sample from a patient – separate out the viral DNA sequences, then annotate the sections of the viral genome that code for proteins.
—Libusha Kelly, The Conversation, 15 May 2024
During this procedure, a client’s blood is drawn and the components of plasma and cells are separated out.
—Korin Miller, Health, 4 May 2024
Over time, majorities in both societies may recognize that the only way to secure the future for their children is to separate out of respect rather than engage out of hatred.
—Martin Indyk, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
In simple terms: the cathode is separated out from the battery cell, regenerated in a chemical process and then placed back in a cell.
—Sabrina Weiss, WIRED, 20 Mar. 2024
That would entail flying a harvester to the moon, which would scoop up the regolith, then its processor would separate out the Helium-3.
—Christian Davenport, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024
Some travelers use packing cubes as a way to separate out types of clothing — shirts, pants, socks, etc.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 17 Jan. 2024
Isabella Cueto, STAT, 22 May 2024
Instead of trying to count each microplastic particle, the researchers were able to quantify the total amount of plastic by dissolving all the biological tissue and separating out the solids.
—Will Stone, NPR, 22 May 2024
So systems biologists like me often sequence all the DNA present in a sample – for example, a fecal sample from a patient – separate out the viral DNA sequences, then annotate the sections of the viral genome that code for proteins.
—Libusha Kelly, The Conversation, 15 May 2024
During this procedure, a client’s blood is drawn and the components of plasma and cells are separated out.
—Korin Miller, Health, 4 May 2024
Over time, majorities in both societies may recognize that the only way to secure the future for their children is to separate out of respect rather than engage out of hatred.
—Martin Indyk, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
In simple terms: the cathode is separated out from the battery cell, regenerated in a chemical process and then placed back in a cell.
—Sabrina Weiss, WIRED, 20 Mar. 2024
That would entail flying a harvester to the moon, which would scoop up the regolith, then its processor would separate out the Helium-3.
—Christian Davenport, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024
Some travelers use packing cubes as a way to separate out types of clothing — shirts, pants, socks, etc.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 17 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'separate out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near separate out
Cite this Entry
“Separate out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/separate%20out. Accessed 5 Jun. 2024.
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