clarify

1 of 2

verb

clar·​i·​fy ˈkler-ə-ˌfī 

ˈkla-rə-

clarified; clarifying

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

: to become clear

… waiting for the present muddled diplomatic situation to clarify …

—Newsweek

clarification

ˌkler-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

ˌkla-rə-

noun

clarifier

ˈkler-ə-ˌfī(-ə)r 

ˈkla-rə-

noun

clarifier

2 of 2

noun

clar·​i·​fi·​er ˈkler-ə-ˌfīr 

ˈkla-rə-, 

-ˌfī-ər

plural -s

: one that clarifies: such as

a

: one that filters a substance (as paint, varnish, or wine) to remove impurities

b

: one that purifies oleo stock by straining and skimming it while it is heated in a tank

c

: one that changes the filters that strain cellulose solution before it is spun into rayon yarn or made into transparent wrapping material

called also filterer

Synonyms of clarify

Verb

• filter
• refine
• extract
• fine
• clear
• purify

Examples of clarify in a Sentence

Verb

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

Verb

Board members argued the district needed courts to clarify its obligations under the initiative and existing protections involving privacy and discrimination. — Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 13 Nov. 2026

Posner wrote the violations seemed to have included the misuse of federal funds, though the exact nature of the issue was never clarified. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 12 Nov. 2026

Ahead of the show’s release, Zac released a statement on TikTok, clarifying that Jen asked for a divorce shortly after DWTS ended in November 2025. — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2026

Google did not clarify, instead emphasizing that schools will control whether students can access the Gemini app, Gemini Notebook, and Search, with options to toggle each off individually, but no option to use Search without AI. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 12 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English clarifien, from Anglo-French clarifier, from Late Latin clarificare, from Latin clarus clear — more at clear

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

Rhymes for clarify

• abscissae
• adonai
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi

Kids 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

clarification

ˌklar-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

noun

clarifier

ˈklar-ə-ˌfī(-ə)r 

noun

Medical Definition

clarify

verb

clar·​i·​fy ˈklar-ə-ˌfī 

clarified; clarifying

transitive verb

: to make (as a liquid) clear or pure usually by freeing from suspended matter

clarify sewage

intransitive verb

: to become clear

clarification

ˌklar-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

noun

clarifier

ˈklar-ə-ˌfī(-ə)r 

noun