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
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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
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Example Sentences
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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
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Gabbard has not explained her involvement in the case herself.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Jan. 2026
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On Rough and Rowdy Ways, Dylan also reemerges as a restless, sometimes cordial, often corrosive analyst, agreeing at last to engage—if not fully to explain—the whats, hows, and, possibly whys of his creative life.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Twigg accordingly excused McKinley.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
29 Jan. 2026
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In other words, this bill wouldn’t excuse South Dakota residents from the current federal requirements for suppressor ownership.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Howard, who had served as a second lieutenant with the Ninety‑Second Division, 366th Infantry in France during World War I, accused President Truman of using the Cold War to justify a sweeping peacetime expansion of America’s global military footprint.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
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And yet Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claims that the agents were justified despite evidence so clear that it can be found unedited on YouTube.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Explain away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explain%20away. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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