clarify
verb
clar·i·fy
ˈkler-ə-ˌfī 
ˈkla-rə-
clarified; clarifying
1
: to make understandable
clarify a subject
The president was forced to clarify his position on the issue.
2
: to free of confusion
needs time to clarify his thoughts
3
: to make (a liquid or something liquefied) clear or pure usually by freeing from suspended matter
clarify syrup
: to become clear
… waiting for the present muddled diplomatic situation to clarify …—
Newsweek
NewsweekExamples of clarify in a Sentence
Can you clarify exactly what it is you're proposing?
Her explanation did not clarify matters much.
The president was forced to clarify his position on the issue.
The committee clarified the manager's duties.
a substance used to clarify wine
Recent Examples on the Web
The bill also clarifies how drivers and pilots must transition between ground and air operations safely.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Nov. 2025
In an edit, the man clarified that his mother-in-law and brother-in-law weren’t being asked to leave without options.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 15 Nov. 2025
Authorities have remained tight-lipped about the case, declining to identify the shooter or clarify whether the shooter is the homeowner.
—Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 14 Nov. 2025
Schuck and Smith believed the champions of the Fourteenth Amendment meant to clarify the meaning of citizenship.
—Rachel Morris, New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clarify
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Nov. 2025
In an edit, the man clarified that his mother-in-law and brother-in-law weren’t being asked to leave without options.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 15 Nov. 2025
Authorities have remained tight-lipped about the case, declining to identify the shooter or clarify whether the shooter is the homeowner.
—Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 14 Nov. 2025
Schuck and Smith believed the champions of the Fourteenth Amendment meant to clarify the meaning of citizenship.
—Rachel Morris, New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clarify
Cite this Entry
“Clarify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clarify. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
clarify
verb
clar·i·fy
ˈklar-ə-ˌfī
clarified; clarifying
1
: to make or become pure or clear
clarify a liquid
2
: to make or become easier to understand
clarify a statement
Medical Definition
clarify
verb
clar·i·fy
ˈklar-ə-ˌfī
clarified; clarifying
: to make (as a liquid) clear or pure usually by freeing from suspended matter
clarify sewage
: to become clear
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share