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
  • This was borrowed directly from American sports reporters, with their propensity to exaggerate to make a point, often by citing absurd numbers.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Goldman Sachs’ David Mericle suggests this reading has perhaps been exaggerated.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Though Baudelaire was influenced by Poe’s macabre imagination, decadence never developed its own school in nineteenth-century America, then still a young country.
    Olivia Kan-Sperling, Artforum, 2 May 2026
  • The athlete himself is central to the formula—the products are developed around his lifestyle and career.
    Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 2 May 2026
Verb
  • The goal was nullified because Hyman kicked the puck in, opening the door for the Ducks to pad their lead.
    Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
  • Representatives also padded their budget with policy.
    State House News Service, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The chain eventually expanded to other nameplates — Banana Republic and Old Navy — and now generates more than $15 billion in sales globally.
    Anne D'Innocenzio, Chicago Tribune, 5 May 2026
  • That means expanding the Renter’s Tax Credit, protecting homeowners from rising costs and making sure renters know their rights and can access homelessness prevention services.
    Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Verb
  • The law lets the California Department of Public Health supplement them with guidance from groups like the AAP, ACOG and AAFP.
    Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
  • Many actors rely on residuals to supplement their income until their next job arrives, but in the streaming era, those payments have plummeted, SAG-AFTRA has said.
    KiMi Robinson, USA Today, 3 May 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 9 May. 2026.

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