CLARIFY Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

clarify

verb

ˈkler-ə-ˌfī

Definition of clarify

as in to filter

to remove usually visible impurities from clarify the melted butter by skimming off the milky bits

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to explain

to make plain or understandable it would help if you could clarify your position for us

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of clarify Known for his deep technical knowledge and signature milk punches, Gibson has brought that ingenuity to Lucky Star through his reserved cocktails, such as the cookies and cream made with rum, clarified milk tea and creme de cacao. — Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026 However, Buckingham Palace later clarified that the royal household hadn’t heard if the Sussexes had accepted King Charles’s invitation. — Max Foster, CNN Money, 4 July 2026 House Enrolled Act 1408 includes language clarifying parental consent for children under age 16, and age verification requirements for social media companies. — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 4 July 2026 During Murdaugh’s first status hearing on Monday, June 29, Judge Debra McCaslin did not rule on the DNA evidence, telling defense attorneys to clarify if the sample was viable. — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for clarify

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clarify

Verb

Diseases that damage the kidneys and impair their ability to filter blood were blamed for 55,081 deaths in 2024.

— Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
Afternoon sun floods through the windows, filtered by gauzy curtains.

— Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 3 July 2026

Definition of filter

Verb

Carpino retired in April, without ever explaining what was not right in the organization or, based on the standings, repairing it.

— Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Davies explains that Provenance adds value, as does good condition, because textiles are particularly unforgiving and easy to damage.

— Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 July 2026

Definition of explain

Verb

This means with something like a healthcare claims review, AI agents must be monitored closely and refined through consistent input from human experts.

— Rohit Kapoor, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Modern infrared observatories such as the James Webb Space Telescope can detect these cooler, fainter stars far more effectively than optical telescopes, helping astronomers refine estimates of the galaxy’s true stellar population.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 7 July 2026

Definition of refine

Verb

The Pew report illustrates why homeownership is increasingly the province of older Americans, and why first-time buyers seem like a vanishing breed.

— Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 3 July 2026
The design and materials of devices such as bone saws, fleams and scarifacators – used to bleed veins and skin surfaces – illustrate the close affinity of humans with other animals.

— Katherine Ott, The Conversation, 2 July 2026

Definition of illustrate

Verb

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining accounts for the majority of gold extracted in the sprawling country, where safety standards are largely ignored.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
And yet, there is a reason why only 20% of AI adopters manage to extract real value while others lag behind.

— Oleksandr Strozhemin, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Definition of extract

Verb

Alnaji was part of a pro-Palestinian group protesting over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and Kessler was demonstrating in support of Israel, authorities have said.

— Phil Helsel, NBC news, 2 July 2026
The resulting bio-char demonstrated a heating value of 29 MJ/kg, meaning that burning 1 kg of the fuel will provide 29 MJ of thermal energy.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 1 July 2026

Definition of demonstrate

Verb

The gateway earns its place where an integration is shared, permissioned, observable or reused across many agents, and buyers should be honest about how much of their tool access clears that bar.

— Janakiram MSV, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
During first-half stoppage time, Mexicos’ César Montes received the ball inside the six-yard box, but Bellingham cleared what looked like a certain goal.

— Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026

Definition of clear

Browse Nearby Words

clarifies

clarify

clarifying

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Clarify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clarify. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of clarify

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on clarify

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

tacit

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes