elaborate (on)

Definition of elaborate (on)next
1
as in to exaggerate
to add to the interest of by including made-up details my friend tends to elaborate on his hiking experiences, turning an ordinary walk in the woods into a hair-raising adventure

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2
as in to develop
to express more fully and in greater detail the candidate for governor refused to elaborate on how she would balance the state's budget

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for elaborate (on)
Verb
  • One sure focus is the rampant grade inflation that exaggerates student achievement and has made graduating high school close to meaningless as an indicator of college preparedness.
    U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 July 2026
  • Jan Paul van Hecke of the Netherlands has been involved in two scraps already, the latest when he was hit while going for a header and crumbled, perhaps exaggerating a tad, after Morocco's Azzedine Ounahi challenged the header, as well.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • As adult influencers dominate online fashion culture, and tweens and teens see the same content as adults, there are fewer spaces for young people to develop styles of their own.
    Sophie Lou Wilson, Vogue, 2 July 2026
  • However, treatment given soon after exposure can prevent the infection from developing.
    Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • The final score was almost padded three minutes later as Rahimi’s header on the break clanged down off the crossbar, but stopped just short of crossing the goal line.
    Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • Some are using the passive income to pad their travel fund; others are reinvesting back into their businesses.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • The council would then examine the details surrounding the change before passing an ordinance expanding those voting rights.
    Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
  • Since then, the United States has expanded from 13 colonies along the Atlantic coast to 50 states stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific and beyond.
    Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • The White House has taken a more active role in the festivities than initially planned, setting up its own Freedom 250 project to supplement America250, a bipartisan congressional effort to celebrate the occasion.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • But officials said both renewables and coal will continue to rise for now, with coal needed to supplement when weather causes interruptions in wind or solar power.
    ABC News, ABC News, 1 July 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.

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Cite this Entry

“Elaborate (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elaborate%20%28on%29. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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