explainer
noun
ex·plain·er
ik-ˈsplā-nər 
plural explainers
: a person or thing that explains something: such as
a
: a person who makes something understandable
Modern day presidents must be good explainers of a complex world …—
Jonathan Alter et al.
Jonathan Alter et al.
b
: an article, podcast, graphic, etc., that explains something complex or not widely understood : an in-depth treatment of a topic
… a whizzy economics explainer titled "Ways & Means" …—Sana Krasikov
Sana KrasikovEach half-hour episode contained a big explainer of a complicated issue. The list of topics sounds like the arcane scraps from the cutting-room floor of most newsrooms—the amount of hidden sugar in food, civil forfeiture, the false hopes of lotteries, the failure of the American government to safeguard people who served as interpreters in Iraq and Afghanistan.—David Carr
David CarrInside, the issue contains a long explainer piece on how the subprime mess came to be and how it wreaked havoc on Citi, Wall Street and especially Merrill.—Yvette Kantrow
Yvette KantrowExamples of explainer in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Follow Sabrina Reed on Forbes for more coverage of what’s airing on television, like her weekly recaps/analysis of The Vampire Lestat, and explainers on what’s happening in the entertainment industry that’s impacting consumers.
—Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Check out this thorough explainer on YouTube, which surprisingly traces the team’s origins back to a Ukrainian bakery.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 19 June 2026
Then be sure to read our explainer article on NASA's Artemis Program, along with the latest on the agency's upcoming Artemis 3 mission to test vital technologies for the Artemis 4 landing near the lunar south pole.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 7 June 2026
However, the new deduction limitation on top-earning individuals now applies to trusts and estates, according to a footnote in the Joint Committee on Taxation's recent tax explainer, better known as the Bluebook.
—Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 4 June 2026
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Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Check out this thorough explainer on YouTube, which surprisingly traces the team’s origins back to a Ukrainian bakery.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 19 June 2026
Then be sure to read our explainer article on NASA's Artemis Program, along with the latest on the agency's upcoming Artemis 3 mission to test vital technologies for the Artemis 4 landing near the lunar south pole.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 7 June 2026
However, the new deduction limitation on top-earning individuals now applies to trusts and estates, according to a footnote in the Joint Committee on Taxation's recent tax explainer, better known as the Bluebook.
—Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for explainer
Cite this Entry
“Explainer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/explainer. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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