Call out

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Meaning 1 of 3
Definition

To notify an employer that you cannot attend work

Example sentence
Sarah called out today.
Real video usage
Three clips showing this meaning in natural speech.
Clip 1
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Clip 2
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Clip 3
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Common collocations
Natural word pairings to memorize.

call out sick

call out of work

call out today

had to call out

employee called out

Separable usage
Can the object split the verb? Compare correct vs incorrect.

She called out sick today. ✅ (Correct)

She called sick out today. ❌ (Incorrect)

Meaning 1 of 3
Definition

To criticize someone publicly or demand accountability

Example sentence
She called out her boss for being unfair.
Real video usage
Three clips showing this meaning in natural speech.
Clip 1
⏱ Timestamp
Open on YouTube
Clip 2
⏱ Timestamp
Open on YouTube
Clip 3
⏱ Timestamp
Open on YouTube
Common collocations
Natural word pairings to memorize.

call someone out

call out bad behavior

call out hypocrisy

publicly call out

call him out on it

Separable usage
Can the object split the verb? Compare correct vs incorrect.

They called out the manager. ✅ (Correct)
They called the manager out. ✅ (Correct)