explicitly

adverb

ex·​plic·​it·​ly ik-ˈspli-sət-lē 

: in an explicit manner : clearly and without any vagueness or ambiguity

We were explicitly warned about what could happen.

The map shows explicitly where the fire alarms are located.

… did not know about the ferrying of weapons to the rebels, an activity explicitly forbidden by Congress.

—Neil A. Lewis

Examples of explicitly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The previous guidelines did not explicitly name ultraprocessed foods but instead recommended consuming nutrient-dense foods, which means foods that have a lot of nutrients while also having relatively few calories. —Cristina Palacios, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026

That almost certainly means a hybrid diesel-electric system, though the yard did not explicitly say that. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 Jan. 2026

While no law explicitly prohibits officers from firing at moving vehicles, the practice is widely discouraged. —Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026

Senior American officials explicitly deny any such intention. —Comfort Ero, Time, 9 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

explicit + -ly entry 2

First Known Use

circa 1657, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for explicitly

• implicitly