1
as in to explain
to give the reason for or cause of
after the surprise attack, military leaders struggled to explain away the nation's unpreparedness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to excuse
to make (something) seem less bad by offering excuses
tried to explain away his adulterous affairs by saying that men are promiscuous by nature
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 explain away
But Ruff was clear that the injury situation doesn’t explain away what the Sabres looked like in the first three games.
—
Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
One downside of Oza’s model, Kipping notes, is that any fluctuations in the levels of sulfur dioxide, sodium and potassium observed on WASP-39b can be easily explained away as variability in eruptions.
—Nola Taylor Tillman, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2025
Maybe the nuns could be transformed into spa therapists at a wellness retreat and the toxin explained away as a surfeit of matcha.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
The idea sticks because the prize, limitless energy from tabletop hardware, is irresistible, and suppression narratives explain away the lack of mainstream acceptance.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for explain away
Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
One downside of Oza’s model, Kipping notes, is that any fluctuations in the levels of sulfur dioxide, sodium and potassium observed on WASP-39b can be easily explained away as variability in eruptions.
—Nola Taylor Tillman, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2025
Maybe the nuns could be transformed into spa therapists at a wellness retreat and the toxin explained away as a surfeit of matcha.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
The idea sticks because the prize, limitless energy from tabletop hardware, is irresistible, and suppression narratives explain away the lack of mainstream acceptance.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for explain away
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explain away
Verb
-
Whitwam explains that Catalina mule deer hunting was traditionally reserved for island residents and their guests, or hunters who were willing to book with a local guide.—
Kris Millgate,
Outdoor Life,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs argued Brady’s role as a sports network broadcaster — not just a Patriots icon — explains his neutral stance.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Judges have a duty to uphold statutes designed to protect victims, to respect the lawful role of law enforcement, and to ensure that criminal conduct is addressed through the rule of law — not excused, minimized, or politicized.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
-
But opportunists in a crowd don’t excuse reckless governance.—
Melissa Derosa,
New York Daily News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Conspicuous logos and seasonal hype no longer justify their price or promise.—
Yiling Pan,
Vogue,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Additionally, hyperscalers, including Amazon , Microsoft , Meta , and Alphabet , announced capital expenditure of up to $700 billion on AI this year, which has raised concerns over returns and whether the extent of AI spend is justified.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Explain away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explain%20away. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
