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.

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

As Los Angelenos receive their ballots, here’s an overview of city elections and an explainer of ballot measures. —Paris Barraza, USA Today, 6 May 2026

Many of our investigations come with supporting material, including visual explainers, details on our methodology or ways to send us tips. —Tyson Evans, ProPublica, 5 May 2026

The Division of Industrial Relations (DIR) posted a Q & A explainer of the rule on its website in 2018. —Dan Eaton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2026

Liam and Cerys Jones outlined the state of play for us in this detailed explainer. —Phil Hay, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for explainer

• abstainer
• campaigner
• complainer
• container
• coplanar
• detainer
• maintainer
• nonplanar
• retainer
• sustainer
• entertainer
• gainer