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Meaning & use

a special shout out

phrase·Everydayinformal

Last updated

UK/ə ˌspeʃl ˈʃaʊt aʊt/
US/ə ˌspeʃl ˈʃaʊt aʊt/

Meaning

  1. phrasefixed phraseinformal

    A public message that thanks or praises a particular person or group.

    Grammar: Usually followed by 'to' and the person: a shout out to my sister.

    Patterns

    • a special shout out to someone
    • give someone a special shout out

    I want to give a special shout out to everyone who helped me move last weekend.

    The host gave a special shout out to the nurses working that night.

Common combinations

give someone a special shout out
The coach gave the whole team a special shout out after the game.
a special shout out to someone
A special shout out to my mom for driving me to every practice.
send a special shout out
They sent a special shout out to their fans on social media.
deserve a special shout out
The volunteers deserve a special shout out for their hard work.

Synonyms and how they differ

mention
A mention is neutral and simply names someone; a shout out is more enthusiastic and public.
tribute
A tribute is more formal and serious, often for someone who has died or achieved something great.

Word family

shout-out noun
The shorter, very common form of the same expression.
shout verb
To speak very loudly; the base word behind the phrase.

Commonly confused: a special shout out or shout?

a special shout out vs shout

'Shout' means to speak loudly, while 'shout out' means to publicly thank or name someone.

Practice

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