1
as in explained
to give the reason for or cause of
after the surprise attack, military leaders struggled to explain away the nation's unpreparedness
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2
as in excused
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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Recent Examples of explained away
When a conversation ends without a real answer, when a situation is explained away rather than actually explained, the discomfort is not neurotic or petty.
—
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Certainly, there are swing issues that can’t be explained away by a good week at Triple-A.
—John Shipley, Twin Cities, 29 May 2026
Production is either exalted or explained away.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026
The famed African American journalist investigated lynchings across the South and wrote about the savage incidents that the white press had already explained away.
—Case Thorp, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
Endometriosis has long been stigmatized and patient pain often explained away through other diagnoses, with the average diagnostic delay for endometriosis lasting four to 11 years.
—O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 26 Mar. 2026
Now, could it be maybe explained away?
—Lauren A. White, CBS News, 22 Feb. 2026
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
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Certainly, there are swing issues that can’t be explained away by a good week at Triple-A.
—John Shipley, Twin Cities, 29 May 2026
Production is either exalted or explained away.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026
The famed African American journalist investigated lynchings across the South and wrote about the savage incidents that the white press had already explained away.
—Case Thorp, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
Endometriosis has long been stigmatized and patient pain often explained away through other diagnoses, with the average diagnostic delay for endometriosis lasting four to 11 years.
—O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 26 Mar. 2026
Now, could it be maybe explained away?
—Lauren A. White, CBS News, 22 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explained away
Verb
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What the administration has not explained is how school districts would replace the lost revenue.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
1 June 2026
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In practice, Teng explained, this means customers will soon be able to create a synthetic version of certain stocks by converting them into a digital token on the company’s BNB blockchain.—
Jeff John Roberts,
Fortune,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Casey Schmitt can be excused for failing to catch Ketel Marte’s fifth-inning fly ball during the Giants’ 6-2 loss Monday.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
26 May 2026
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Given the profusion of riad tourist accommodation in Marrakech, you’d be excused for thinking the buildings originated as hotels.—
Rebecca Ann Hughes,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
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According to the Worldpay report, consumer openness drops sharply as purchase values rise, especially once transactions exceed even $1,000, and that skepticism is understandably justified.—
Jacques Ledbetter,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
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Too many decisions of this magnitude are made emotionally and justified financially afterward.—
Allen Buchanan,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Explained away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explained%20away. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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