1
as in to clarify
to make plain or understandable
a pamphlet that explains the medical procedure in language that any layperson can understand
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to justify
to give the reason for or cause of
can you explain your very odd behavior at the wedding reception?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of explain
They were approved in the fall so that students could enroll in the courses in time for the 2025-26 school year, Purcell explained at the March meeting.
—
Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025
And as one Redditor explained, Quito is a great option.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2025
This gets at a much bigger issue: This production fails to justify or explain why this is a one-person show or what is gained by this choice.
—Christian Lewis, Variety, 28 Mar. 2025
Focus on explaining the problem your brand solves, and provide actionable solutions and clear calls to action.
—Saul Marquez, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for explain
Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025
And as one Redditor explained, Quito is a great option.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2025
This gets at a much bigger issue: This production fails to justify or explain why this is a one-person show or what is gained by this choice.
—Christian Lewis, Variety, 28 Mar. 2025
Focus on explaining the problem your brand solves, and provide actionable solutions and clear calls to action.
—Saul Marquez, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for explain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explain
Verb
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This framework is best suited for companies needing to clarify their differentiation in a competitive space.—
Diana Khramina,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney Phil Sorrells in February asked Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to clarify the law.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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On Monday, seven of the Constitutional Court's eight judges overturned or dismissed Han's impeachment, arguing that accusations against him either did not constitute legal violations or were not severe enough to justify removing him from office.—
Kevin Sabet,
Newsweek,
24 Mar. 2025
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Reminds [me] also of the aggressors' narratives for justifying many other military interventions, occupations, and annexations in world history.—
Kevin Sabet,
Newsweek,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
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As the graphic above illustrates, Galatasaray’s Napoli loanee can find space to shoot, even with limited service.—
Ali Rampling,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
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Her own work has illustrated how different brain regions activate when processing English or Chinese sentences because of their differing linguistic properties.—
Gayoung Lee,
Scientific American,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Find another scapegoat to rationalize your assault on the crown jewels of American progress — our colleges and universities that until now have attracted the best and the brightest from our country and all over the world.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Apr. 2025
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Clearly the request — which must have originated in City Hall — uses the fires as a smokescreen to rationalize a bailout for a deficit that is fundamentally the result of years-long fiscal malpractice.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
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About 3,000 protesters demonstrated Khalil's detention in Lower Manhattan on Monday afternoon, police said.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
11 Mar. 2025
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Denmark’s charm-offensive chief visited Texas before stopping in Washington to promote the long-standing ties between Washington and Copenhagen, including a reception for business leaders and investors to demonstrate a steady environment.—
Philip Elliott,
TIME,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Prior advancements all came with some sort of asterisk, though; for example, the derivations involved only worked on short timescales, in a vacuum or under other simplifying conditions.—
Jack Murtagh,
Scientific American,
14 Apr. 2025
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The federal Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, is trying to streamline federal agencies by eliminating redundancies, modernizing technology, and simplifying processes so government better serves taxpayers.—
Adam A. Millsap,
Forbes.com,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
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OneNote's Math Assistant can interpret handwritten math equations and solve them for you, though this is available only for Enterprise and Education subscribers to Microsoft 365.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
14 Apr. 2025
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From a legal standpoint, the SEC’s February memo could be interpreted as offering regulatory cover for projects like these, provided they are not marketed with profit guarantees or tied to managerial efforts.—
Tonya M. Evans,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Explain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explain. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
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