as in illuminating
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
1
as in filtering
to remove usually visible impurities from
clarify the melted butter by skimming off the milky bits
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in explaining
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 clarifying
Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 5 Apr. 2026
As the Virgo Moon arrives November 13 to 15, things get even more introspective, but in the best, most clarifying way.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 9 Nov. 2025
It’s been very clarifying and really, for lack of a better word, helpful, in framing for us, really, and reminding us what, what this festival is, what is Mr. Redford’s legacy.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2025
And that was a clarifying moment for me in my understanding of their relationship.
—Max Gao, Variety, 29 Aug. 2025
Working at the Taller de Gráfica Popular allowed for a clarifying moment of vision, one that drove her work—politically and artistically—for the rest of her life.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
But this was a clarifying moment for me, as the photo’s release validated other information my source had been sharing in recent weeks.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 4 Sep. 2024
These compositions have surprising emotional impact and a clarifying depth.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 May 2024
Jenna Schweikert, CBS News, 28 May 2026
The conclusion is unflattering for the technology and clarifying for the leader.
—Omer Qureshi, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
This sets the foundation for the rest of your breakout-fighting products—like clarifying toners, salicylic acid serums, and lightweight moisturizers—to work more efficiently.
—Sarah Felbin, Allure, 20 May 2026
Use clarifying shampoo at least once a week and keep dry shampoo handy to soak up extra sweat and oil.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 20 May 2026
Steyer also published an article on X clarifying his campaign’s rules for engaging influencers.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 20 May 2026
In the Innovation Village, on the Croisette, and in the Debussy Theatre where a Cannes audience gave Pan’s Labyrinth a hero’s welcome all over again, the argument at this festival is clarifying.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026
The museum said this is false but did not give clarifying information on this determination.
—Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 19 May 2026
Submitting a bid, Becher said, involved filling out a long questionnaire and clarifying any questions that the league may have.
—Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 19 May 2026
Adjective
Steps three and four explain when to switch between using clarifying shampoos, non-clarifying shampoos and medicated shampoos.
—Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 5 Apr. 2026
As the Virgo Moon arrives November 13 to 15, things get even more introspective, but in the best, most clarifying way.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 9 Nov. 2025
It’s been very clarifying and really, for lack of a better word, helpful, in framing for us, really, and reminding us what, what this festival is, what is Mr. Redford’s legacy.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2025
And that was a clarifying moment for me in my understanding of their relationship.
—Max Gao, Variety, 29 Aug. 2025
Working at the Taller de Gráfica Popular allowed for a clarifying moment of vision, one that drove her work—politically and artistically—for the rest of her life.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
But this was a clarifying moment for me, as the photo’s release validated other information my source had been sharing in recent weeks.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 4 Sep. 2024
These compositions have surprising emotional impact and a clarifying depth.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 May 2024
Verb
Later amendments also addressed concerns from Senate Republicans, Secure AI, Anthropic and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency by clarifying third party qualifications, what the audit should include and protocols for protecting proprietary information.
—Jenna Schweikert, CBS News, 28 May 2026
The conclusion is unflattering for the technology and clarifying for the leader.
—Omer Qureshi, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
This sets the foundation for the rest of your breakout-fighting products—like clarifying toners, salicylic acid serums, and lightweight moisturizers—to work more efficiently.
—Sarah Felbin, Allure, 20 May 2026
Use clarifying shampoo at least once a week and keep dry shampoo handy to soak up extra sweat and oil.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 20 May 2026
Steyer also published an article on X clarifying his campaign’s rules for engaging influencers.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 20 May 2026
In the Innovation Village, on the Croisette, and in the Debussy Theatre where a Cannes audience gave Pan’s Labyrinth a hero’s welcome all over again, the argument at this festival is clarifying.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026
The museum said this is false but did not give clarifying information on this determination.
—Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 19 May 2026
Submitting a bid, Becher said, involved filling out a long questionnaire and clarifying any questions that the league may have.
—Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 19 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clarifying
Adjective
-
The last episode involved horrifying doll monsters and a very illuminating mushroom trip.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2026
-
But her fuller response is more illuminating.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
Modern buyers have become incredibly skilled at filtering out anything that sounds like a sales pitch.—
Jehan Lalkaka,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
-
Luxury rental platform Plum Guide also reported a 17% rise in searches for unplugged, tech-lite properties — a signal that travelers are actively filtering for stays that promise less connectivity, not more.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Sokoloff continued the offensive, explaining that the controller is legally mandated to annually audit affordable housing programs but has failed to do so.—
Rafael Perez,
Daily News,
28 May 2026
-
While some hospitals obtain informed consent before conducting drug or alcohol testing during pregnancy or after delivery, others perform these tests without patient consent or clearly explaining the purpose and potential consequences.—
Dr. Mattie Renn,
New York Daily News,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
The strangest glitch was the way the supposedly reddish color of the opening and closing words of Blade Runner 2049’s opening explanatory text took on a distinctly brown tone.—
John Archer,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
-
His work blends data-visualization with explanatory graphics and motion graphics, covering everything from breaking news to politics to sports.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
But several shifts in this year’s edition point to a fair still refining its identity as Paris consolidates its position as Europe’s dominant art market hub after London’s Brexit fumble.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
28 May 2026
-
Lorie used it privately for a year while refining the structure.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
The activation created a cultural moment, illustrating what tech merchandise can achieve.—
Jay Deutsch,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
The gesture drew thunderous applause from the audience of more than 5,000 guests, and the event raised nearly $700,000, illustrating how Gaultier used his platform to raise awareness and funding for a key American charity.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
That pressure toward affordable innovation, extracting maximum value from a single ingredient across multiple form factors, is exactly what the global wellness market is demanding right now.—
Lisa Curtis,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
Researchers have long viewed those materials as promising for advanced quantum devices, but extracting the entanglement remained a challenge.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
He’s built a career responding to different challenges and demonstrating improvement.—
Zach Berman,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
-
The yearly motorsport festival features drivers demonstrating a litany of race cars on track and displaying their machinery on the racetrack’s grounds.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clarifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clarifying. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
