explainer

noun

ex·​plain·​er ik-ˈsplā-nər How to pronounce explainer (audio)
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.
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
Each 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
Inside, 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

Examples of explainer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Be sure to stay up to date with all the latest news with our Artemis 2 liveblog and discover the answers to all your Artemis program questions with our in-depth explainer article! Anthony Wood, Space.com, 10 Apr. 2026 As Service Journalism & Consumer Editor, Allison Gibson will oversee a team of journalists who produce timely, useful and relevant stories, explainers and videos that address readers’ questions and daily needs. Chris Fusco april 8, Sacbee.com, 8 Apr. 2026 On its cinematic merits alone, the film would never have generated the profusion of think pieces, explainers, debates, and interviews that have both probed and promoted it in recent weeks. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2026 Use our explainer to decide which one is right for you. Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 6 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for explainer

Word History

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of explainer was in 1579

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Cite this Entry

“Explainer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/explainer. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.

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