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
Newsweek
Examples 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
Of course, that could clarify that some places are simply no longer good bets at all, which would be politically unpopular.
—Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2024
How Cannabis Use May Influence the Risk of Head and Neck Cancers
The study authors set out to clarify whether heavy cannabis use has any connection to the risk of head and neck cancers, which can develop in the mouth, nose, sinuses, salivary glands, throat, and larynx (voice box).
—Maggie O'Neill, Health, 14 Aug. 2024
The ministry clarified, however, that this case is not an environmental crime.
—Kimi Robinson, USA TODAY, 14 Aug. 2024
That gap was highlighted by the US Treasury earlier this year in a report that called on China to clarify why the numbers were so different.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune Asia, 12 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for clarify 
Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2024
How Cannabis Use May Influence the Risk of Head and Neck Cancers
The study authors set out to clarify whether heavy cannabis use has any connection to the risk of head and neck cancers, which can develop in the mouth, nose, sinuses, salivary glands, throat, and larynx (voice box).
—Maggie O'Neill, Health, 14 Aug. 2024
The ministry clarified, however, that this case is not an environmental crime.
—Kimi Robinson, USA TODAY, 14 Aug. 2024
That gap was highlighted by the US Treasury earlier this year in a report that called on China to clarify why the numbers were so different.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune Asia, 12 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for clarify
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clarify.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near clarify
Cite this Entry
“Clarify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clarify. Accessed 14 Sep. 2024.
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
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