1. Arrange or order by classes or categories
   "How would you sort out these pottery shards — are they prehistoric?";
   - classify, class, sort, assort, separate
    
2. Make clear or more understandable; remove confusion or ambiguity
   "her answer helped to sort out who was to blame";
   - clear, clear up, shed light on, crystallize, crystallise [Brit], crystalize [US, rare], straighten out, enlighten, illuminate, elucidate
    
3. [informal] Resolve or deal with a problem or difficult situation
   "They managed to sort out their differences";
   - sort [informal]
    
4. Punish in order to gain control or enforce obedience
   "The teacher sorted out the pupils rather frequently";
   - discipline, correct

Derived forms: sorting out, sorted out, sorts out

Type of: categorise [Brit], categorize, clarify, clear up, elucidate, penalise [Brit], penalize, punish, sanction