1
as in to clarify
to make plain or understandable
a pamphlet that explains the medical procedure in language that any layperson can understand
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to justify
to give the reason for or cause of
can you explain your very odd behavior at the wedding reception?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of explain
That’s the fascination with circuses, Zumstein explained.
—
Myrna Petlicki, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Trying to explain workflows, systems, or data without visuals usually leads to confusion.
—Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 2 Apr. 2026
The study researchers explain that avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats, which are essential for maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and supporting cell structure.
—Lauren Manaker, SELF, 2 Apr. 2026
Hyundai Motor America Vice President of Product Planning and Mobility Strategy Olabisi Boyle explained this to The Drive in a short convo.
—Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for explain
Myrna Petlicki, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Trying to explain workflows, systems, or data without visuals usually leads to confusion.
—Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 2 Apr. 2026
The study researchers explain that avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats, which are essential for maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and supporting cell structure.
—Lauren Manaker, SELF, 2 Apr. 2026
Hyundai Motor America Vice President of Product Planning and Mobility Strategy Olabisi Boyle explained this to The Drive in a short convo.
—Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for explain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explain
Verb
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If a client presentation collides with family plans, clarify expectations early and ask for support where needed, then show leadership by offering a fair, workable path.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
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At that time, Netflix adjusted its terms to state that contract terms could one day change due to technological, security, or regulatory needs, to clarify clauses, or to provide changes to the service, Il Sole 24 Ore reported.—
Scharon Harding,
ArsTechnica,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Policies were justified not with reference to morality or metaphysics but with citations of white papers.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Conflicts abroad, such as in Iran, that may disrupt domestic oil resources could also be used as an argument to justify the need to drill, Sivas said.—
Sierra Lopez,
Mercury News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The war in Iran and bottleneck in the Strait of Hormuz is further illustrating the need to integrate newer tools into modern warfare.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2026
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In the interview, Warsh illustrated this with a story from 2006, when he was nominated to the Fed’s Board of Governors and sought advice from former chair Paul Volcker.—
Paul Wachtel,
The Conversation,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Of those seven losses, setbacks against Dallas and Chicago (while both were still trying to win) and Milwaukee could at least be rationalized.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
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At the same time, the government hasn’t offered a steady enough flow of contracts to rationalize scaling for some of these businesses.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The idea behind this is to invoke the double-slit experiment, which demonstrates how light behaves as both a particle and a wave, depending on how it is observed.—
David Szondy
March 28,
New Atlas,
28 Mar. 2026
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Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson has demonstrated — across decades of team research — that psychological safety is the single strongest predictor of team performance.—
Charles Edward Gehrke,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Lawmakers backing the bill say the change is meant to simplify the process for people who already want to own raccoons obtained through legal breeders, not animals captured from the wild.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
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If successful, the technology could simplify treatment for chronic diseases.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But no one reading the book will come away with the sense that studies are often contested, or that many of the findings of social psychology and economics remain unsettled, or that results can be interpreted in many ways.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Or they could be interpreted as beams of energy that radiate within and from the more timeless objects Acosta depicts on canvas.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Explain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explain. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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