callout

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/ˈkɔːlˌaʊt/
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An act of drawing attention by naming, shouting, labeling, or summoning, with uses in public criticism, page design, service work, and older formal challenges.
Practice using callout in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • The newsletter included a callout to the volunteers who stayed late.
  • Modern readers may miss the force of a dueling callout.
  • A yellow callout explains the warning icon on the screen.
  • The insult was treated as a callout to a duel.
  • The diagram uses a numbered callout to identify the valve.

Similar words

provocation
service call
contest
ultimatum
dispatch
pointer
summons
cry
tag
inset

Meanings

Public mention or criticism

noun
communication
neutral
An act of naming something aloud or in public, often to draw attention, give recognition, or criticize.

Usage

Use callout for the public act or mention itself, and use the two-word verb call out for the action.

Examples

  • The coach gave a loud callout from the sideline.
  • Her public callout of the policy drew quick replies.
  • The newsletter included a callout to the volunteers who stayed late.
  • A sharp callout from the crowd interrupted the speech.
  • The post became a viral callout of unsafe working conditions.

Common mistakes

The closed noun is used where the phrasal verb is needed.
IncorrectCorrect
She will callout the error tomorrow. She will call out the error tomorrow.
His callout was in a quiet private note. His criticism was in a quiet private note.
The article callout three companies by name. The article called out three companies by name.
A callout is always praise. A callout can be praise, notice, or criticism.

Similar words

mention
shout
cry
challenge
criticism
rebuke
denunciation
notice

Label or inset that draws attention

noun
design
neutral
A label, note, or highlighted box that points to or emphasizes a feature in an illustration, page, or screen.

Usage

Use callout for a visual note that points at a detail or pulls important text out from the surrounding layout.

Examples

  • The diagram uses a numbered callout to identify the valve.
  • A yellow callout explains the warning icon on the screen.
  • The magazine page places a quotation in a large callout box.
  • Each callout in the manual points to a different part of the engine.
  • The designer added a small callout beside the price chart.

Common mistakes

A caption for the whole image is called a callout even when nothing is being pointed out.
IncorrectCorrect
The callout appears under the photo as a full caption. The caption appears under the photo.
The callout labels the entire chapter. The heading labels the entire chapter.
Add a callout to every paragraph. Add a callout only where a detail needs emphasis.
The callout is a paragraph hidden in the body text. The callout is a visible note or inset that draws attention.

Similar words

label
annotation
note
inset
caption
marker
pointer
tag

Summons for work or service

noun
work
neutral
A request or summons that sends someone to work, usually for emergency, on-call, or special service.

Usage

Use callout for the service visit, work summons, fee, or rate connected with being called to a job.

Examples

  • The repair company charges a flat callout fee after midnight.
  • An emergency callout sent two engineers to the substation.
  • The hospital logged every weekend callout for the surgical team.
  • After the alarm failed, the landlord arranged a callout for an electrician.
  • The union questioned the new callout rules for night shifts.

Common mistakes

An ordinary phone call is described as a callout.
IncorrectCorrect
I missed a callout from my sister. I missed a call from my sister.
The plumber made a callout to ask a question. The plumber made a call to ask a question.
The callout fixed the boiler. The technician on the callout fixed the boiler.
We paid a callout because the email was urgent. We paid a callout fee because the engineer came to the site.

Similar words

summons
dispatch
service call
request
assignment
job
ticket
deployment

Formal challenge to fight

noun
historical
archaic
A formal challenge, especially the old-fashioned challenge to a duel or contest.

Usage

Use callout in this sense only for historical or deliberately old-fashioned writing about a formal challenge.

Examples

  • The insult was treated as a callout to a duel.
  • In the old story, the captain answered the callout at dawn.
  • The formal callout named the place and the weapons.
  • Modern readers may miss the force of a dueling callout.
  • The play turns a comic callout into a matter of honor.

Common mistakes

The archaic duel sense is used for any modern disagreement.
IncorrectCorrect
Their budget debate was a callout to a duel. Their budget debate was a disagreement.
The boxer sent a callout because he emailed a complaint. The boxer issued a challenge.
The callout happened with no challenge or opponent. The callout challenged a named opponent.
A callout to duel is common in everyday speech. A callout to duel is archaic or historical.

Similar words

challenge
defiance
provocation
summons
dare
ultimatum
contest
taunt

Usage

Use the closed form callout as a noun, and keep the verb as two words: call out.

Common mistakes

Writing the phrasal verb as callout creates errors such as she will callout the issue instead of she will call out the issue.

Etymology

Formed in English from the verb phrase call out, with noun uses recorded in the late nineteenth century.

FAQ

Is callout one word or two?

Callout is the closed noun. The verb is usually written as two words, call out.

What is a callout in a diagram?

It is a label, note, or inset that points to a specific detail or makes it stand out.

What does callout mean in service work?

It means a request or summons that sends someone to a job, often for emergency or on-call work.

Can callout mean public criticism?

Yes. A public criticism or naming of a problem can be called a callout.

Is a callout the same as a caption?

Not always. A caption usually describes a whole image, while a callout points to or highlights a particular part.

Can callout mean a challenge to a duel?

Yes, but that sense is archaic and mostly appears in historical contexts.

What is the origin of callout?

It comes from the verb phrase call out, with noun uses recorded from the late nineteenth century.

Comments & contributions

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Frosty Skylark
5 days ago
To my ear a callout on socials sounds harsher than a shout-out. If you are praising a teammate, shout-out is the safer word
0
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Perky Falcon
Jul 9
i came here because i kept typing callout the bug in tickets lol. so annoying that noun and verb split
1
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Contribution
Soft Quail
Jul 4
In software/docs a callout can just be a boxed note like Tip, Warning, Info. No arrow at all. Obsidian people say callout for those blockquote boxes, which confused me coming from print layout
3
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Contribution
Jaunty Hamster
Jun 26
UK tradespeople usually write it call-out, especially in call-out charge or call-out fee. Thats the money for coming to your house, before parts or actual repair time.
3
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Rainy Newt
Jul 2
Australia too. I see call-out fee on plumber invoices, not just callout
1
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Nifty Caribou
Jun 16
Fight fans use this in a very current way: a post-fight callout is when the winner grabs the mic and names the person they want next. Not old duel language, more UFC/boxing promo talk.
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