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
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
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explained away
Verb
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Athron explained that new tariffs apply if any tea blend contains leaves from China or India, regardless of where it's processed.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry
Shane Croucher
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
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Robinson also explained the obscure engravings found on bullet casings that were left behind at the scene.—
Connor Greene,
Time,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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It was announced by the Vikings head coach that McCarthy was excused due to being at the hospital with his fiancée to welcome the arrival of his baby boy.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
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Likewise, with cameras on the trains in Charlotte, the public could be excused for wondering why there wasn’t a more immediate response after the event.—
Chicago Tribune,
Twin Cities,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The senior editor for the free speech absolutist Reason magazine said her firing was fully justified as being due to journalistic malpractice.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
16 Sep. 2025
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In the YouGov survey conducted in the immediate aftermath of the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, 72 percent of Americans said violence is never justified, while 11 percent said it can sometimes be justified.—
Sarah Fortinsky,
The Hill,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Explained away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explained%20away. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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