as in explaining
to make plain or understandable
a simple explanation cleared the matter up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clearing (up)
Verb
-
Perardi emailed a photo explaining that it had been given to him as collateral.—
Matthew Bremner,
Rolling Stone,
11 Feb. 2026 -
Several board members cited the legal outcome in explaining their votes against Ben Gamla.—
Grace Gilson,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
While the moody Moon blurs with powerful Pluto in your 10th House of Career, clarifying your role and long-term direction may be difficult.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Republicans framed the bathroom and driver’s license bill as an addendum clarifying the intent of a separate 2023 bill barring trans women from accessing female-only spaces.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
From tiny proto‑dinosaurs like Marasuchus to giants like Plateosaurus and Mamenchisaurus, 'The Dinosaurs' runs the gamut, illustrating how dinosaurs evolved across millennia in response to a volatile world.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
11 Feb. 2026
-
There are times, though, when the filmmaker makes his machinations too obvious, as with the too-cute cross-cutting illustrating how the characters are all caught in the same web.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Several Indonesian originals placed among the quarter’s top-performing titles, led predominantly by Vidio’s content lineup, demonstrating how homegrown productions are becoming commercially viable drivers of subscriber acquisition and retention.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Their endurance has been proven in flight testing, demonstrating high subsonic speeds – 200+ nautical mile range at low altitudes and 60+ minutes duration.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Attendees going to the Broward Center can access informational videos or a slideshow, spelling out each stage of the theater-going process in a first-person point of view to help people with special needs understand social cues and expectations.—
Alyssa Ramos,
Miami Herald,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Volunteers recently took city representatives to the area to see the situation for themselves in the hope the city will install official signs spelling out the rules for bicyclists, including speed limits and the message that off-roading is prohibited.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
For getting up the hill and getting across the flatter sections.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The issue has been discussed within Congress for years and has received bipartisan support, but obstacles have repeatedly stopped the effort from getting across the finish line.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Fennell has also stripped down the first half, removing some major characters and simplifying the motivations of others.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
9 Feb. 2026
-
In either scenario, simplifying your checklist should give you a buffer of extra time.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Clearing (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clearing%20%28up%29. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
