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elaborate

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verb (1)

as in to unfold
to gradually become clearer or more detailed as mankind's understanding of the universe has elaborated

Synonyms & Similar Words

elaborate (on)

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verb (2)

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 elaborate
Adjective
She was accused of orchestrating an elaborate plot to hire hitmen to kill her son-in-law, Daniel Markel, in a case that became infamous in Tallahassee and beyond. Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025 Meanwhile, the virtuous, near-immortal elves of Lothlórien are depicted living peacefully in a realm of lush flora and elaborate tree-houses. Ellen Walker, JSTOR Daily, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
The letter didn’t elaborate, but Duffy appeared to do so in a related X post. Chris Boyette, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025 The signs are so large and elaborate that only a few—sometimes only one—fit on each line. Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for elaborate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elaborate
Adjective
  • For the most detailed and accurate soil tests, send your samples to a soil lab.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Together the trio will execute their detailed schemes.
    Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • This filtration system ensures that your floors are getting their most thorough clean, while also ridding your space of irritants like dust that can cause allergy flare-ups.
    Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Most importantly, investors should conduct thorough research and seek diverse perspectives before making decisions.
    Vilius Kavaliauskas, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • When my father showed the then-curator of the Musée d’Horlogerie the enamels in our collection, she was blown away by the exquisite quality and intricate details of our enamels and jeweled pieces.
    Kyle Roderick, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • This image depicts intricate frost formations on the frozen surface of Lake Harriet during an Arctic Blast in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 20, 2025.
    Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The Music City Loop combines multiple complicated aspirations dreamed up by Musk, and few of them have succeeded at accomplishing the feat they were created for.
    Charles Singh, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Sep. 2025
  • The death sets off a chain of events that forces Lilian to revisit her fractured family life and complicated bond with her ex-husband.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Atrium Health Primary Care Gold Hill offers quick access to a care team and other benefits for a lower fee than the full concierge model, according to the company.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Hardcore fans of the nine-season NBC comedy classic may even remember that was the actual full name of the show’s in-universe documentary that aired in Season 9.
    Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The district has tried to be conservative on replacing items as efforts to form a fire territory complicate issues of investment and ownership.
    Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2025
  • Certainly tariffs are adding to economic uncertainty and complicate decision-making for the Federal Reserve.
    Simon Moore, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Adjective
  • For engineers and designers, this framework is like giving a GPS map through the complex terrain of foam design—saving months of trial-and-error testing.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2025
  • The move would mark an important milestone for Nvidia -backed Cohesity, which shelved IPO plans in 2021 to first execute a complex merger with its rival Veritas’ data protection unit, according to Cohesity CEO Sanjay Poonen.
    Ganesh Rao, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • These critical questions require a more sophisticated ethical framework.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The trendy animal print pattern combined with the crisscross buckle design offers a sophisticated, retro feel that’ll perk up any classic pair of jeans.
    Melody Kazel, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Elaborate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elaborate. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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