call out

2 meanings

Meanings
  1. 1 publicly say that someone is wrong or has done something bad B1
  2. 2 say something in a loud voice A2
1 call sb out

publicly say that someone is wrong or has done something bad

B1

What does "call out" mean in this sense?

To call someone out means to publicly challenge or criticise them for something they said or did that was wrong, dishonest, or hypocritical. The key idea is that this happens openly — in front of others, on social media, in a news article, or in a public speech — rather than in a private conversation. It became especially common with the rise of social media, where users frequently call out celebrities, politicians, and companies for problematic behaviour. The criticism is usually specific: you call someone out *for* something, like lying, being inconsistent, or making offensive remarks. Using this phrase suggests the speaker believes the person deserves to be held accountable in a visible, public way.

Examples

How to use it

call out + person + for + noun/gerund

The most common structure — names the person being criticised and specifies what they did wrong.

Several journalists called out the CEO for making misleading statements in the press conference.

call + pronoun + out + for + noun/gerund

When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'call' and 'out' — this is the most natural spoken form.

His followers called him out for promoting a product he had previously criticised.

be called out + for + noun/gerund

The passive form is very common, especially in journalism and social media posts, and often focuses attention on the person being criticised.

The influencer was called out for posting misleading health advice to her millions of followers.

call out + person + on + noun

Using 'on' instead of 'for' is also natural and focuses more directly on the specific issue being challenged.

A rival team member called her out on the inconsistency between her public statements and her voting record.

call out + organisation/company

Groups, institutions, and companies can also be called out, not just individuals.

Consumer groups have called out several major brands for greenwashing their products.

Common Collocations

called out for lyingcalled out on social mediacalled out for hypocrisycalled out publiclycalled out for bad behaviourcalled out by fans

Common Mistakes

Pronoun placement

When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'call' and 'out'. Placing it after 'out' is ungrammatical in English.

✗ She decided to call out them for their hypocrisy.
✓ She decided to call them out for their hypocrisy.
Confusing with the 'shout' sense

This sense of 'call out' is specifically about public criticism of someone's behaviour. If you mean to say someone spoke loudly or shouted a name, that is a different meaning — the criticise sense always targets a person or organisation and often includes 'for' + a reason.

✗ She called out 'hello!' to the crowd, but everyone criticised her for it.
✓ She was called out for the way she addressed the crowd. / She called out to the crowd to get their attention.
Using it in overly formal writing

'Call out' belongs to informal and journalistic language. In formal academic essays or official reports, use 'criticise', 'challenge', or 'publicly condemn' instead.

✗ This paper will call out the researchers for their methodological inconsistencies.
✓ This paper will challenge the researchers' methodological inconsistencies.

Usage

This phrasal verb is informal and closely linked to social media and online culture. It is common in everyday speech and journalism but would sound out of place in formal writing such as academic essays or official reports.

2 call sth out

say something in a loud voice

A2

Sense 2: What does "call sth out" mean?

Call out means to say something loudly so that others nearby or at a distance can hear you. It is often used when someone announces names, numbers, or words to a group — for example, during a roll call or a competition. It can also describe someone projecting their voice urgently, such as giving a warning or calling to a person across a room. Unlike simply speaking, call out always suggests that the speaker is raising their voice to be heard. It can be used with or without an object: you can call out a name, or just call out and hope someone responds.

Examples

How to use it

call out + words/name/number

The most common pattern — use it when the object is something spoken, like a name, a word, or a number.

The teacher called out the answers at the end of the quiz.

call + pronoun + out

When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'call' and 'out'.

She called it out so everyone in the room could hear.

call out (no object)

Call out can be used without an object when you just mean someone shouted or raised their voice.

He called out, but nobody came to the door.

hear/see + someone + call out

Call out often appears after perception verbs like 'hear' or 'see'.

I heard her call out my name from the other end of the corridor.

be called out

The passive form is natural when the focus is on what was said, not who said it.

The winning numbers were called out at the end of the show.

Common Collocations

call out a namecall out a warningcall out the numberscall out instructionscall out an answercall out a greeting

Common Mistakes

Using 'loudly' after call out

Because call out already means to speak loudly, adding 'loudly' is redundant. Just use call out on its own.

✗ She called out loudly his name.
✓ She called out his name.
Wrong pronoun placement

When the object is a pronoun like 'it' or 'them', it must go between 'call' and 'out', not after 'out'.

✗ He called out it to the crowd.
✓ He called it out to the crowd.
Mixing up the 'speak loudly' and 'criticise' senses

Call out also means to publicly criticise someone, which can cause confusion. The 'speak loudly' sense takes words, names, or numbers as its object — not a person being challenged for their behaviour.

✗ She called out the answer for cheating. (unclear meaning)
✓ She called out the answer. / She called him out for cheating.

Usage

Used in both spoken and written English, especially in stories and narratives to describe characters speaking loudly. It can be used without an object: 'He called out but no one answered.'

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'call out' always need 'for' after it? What about 'on'?

Both 'for' and 'on' are natural after 'call out', but they work slightly differently. 'Called out for' introduces the type of behaviour (e.g. 'called out for lying'), while 'called out on' tends to highlight a specific claim or issue (e.g. 'called out on their double standards'). 'For' is more common overall, so if you're unsure, use 'for'.

Can I use 'call out' to describe private criticism between two people?

It's not the most natural fit. 'Call out' strongly implies a public or semi-public context — something said in front of others, posted online, or published. If you're describing a quiet, private conversation, 'confront' or 'challenge' would sound more natural.

Can 'call out' refer to criticising a behaviour or idea, not just a person?

Yes — 'call it out' works when referring to a specific behaviour or pattern rather than an individual. For example, 'When you see racism, you should call it out.' In this case, 'it' refers to the behaviour itself, not a particular person.

Is 'call out' mainly used in American English?

It's used widely in both American and British English, and globally in online contexts. Its spread has been driven by social media and internet culture, so you'll encounter it across English-speaking countries and in international journalism.

What does 'call-out culture' mean — is it related?

Yes, it's directly related. 'Call-out culture' (sometimes used interchangeably with 'cancel culture') refers to the social practice of publicly criticising people — especially online — for perceived wrongdoing. The noun form is written with a hyphen, while the phrasal verb is two separate words: 'call out'.

Can call out be used without an object?

Yes! You can use call out without saying what was spoken. For example: 'She called out but no one replied.' This just means the person raised their voice to get attention or make contact.

Does call out have other meanings?

Yes, call out has a couple of other common meanings in English. This entry covers only the 'speak or say something loudly' sense. The other senses are explained in separate sections on this page.

Is call out used in stories and books?

Yes, it is very common in narrative writing. Writers often use it to show that a character is speaking loudly or urgently — for example: '"Wait!" she called out.' It sounds natural in both spoken English and written stories.

What kinds of things can you call out?

Typical objects are names, numbers, words, warnings, answers, instructions, and greetings — things that are spoken aloud to a group or at a distance. You would not use call out with a person as the object in this sense.

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