tease out

verb

teased out; teasing out; teases out

transitive verb

1
: to obtain by or as if by disentangling or freeing with a pointed instrument
2

Examples of tease out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The reasons for these results are complex and still being teased out. Caleb Hellerman, CNN Money, 5 June 2026 My therapist seemed to mould my aching limbs like clay, teasing out knots in my back and paying special attention to my extra-tight right shoulder. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026 The tempo is jagged and slow, and O’Farrill only teases out the melody throughout as if to question the jubilance of the original. Rae-Aila Crumble, Pitchfork, 25 June 2026 Contemporary art historians are trained to tease out the political messaging of artworks, but Church is elusive here as well. Susan Tallman, The Atlantic, 13 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for tease out

Word History

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tease out was in 1828

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tease out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tease%20out. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!