1
as in clarifying
to make plain or understandable
a pamphlet that explains the medical procedure in language that any layperson can understand
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in justifying
to give the reason for or cause of
can you explain your very odd behavior at the wedding reception?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of explaining
Gassert disagreed with Dominguez’s decision to kick Oliveros out of the house, explaining that an agent’s morality shouldn’t be conditional.
—
Tyler Carmona, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
Now, the Connecticut state legislature is moving to control the curriculum of all schools in the state without explaining why politicians know better than parents how to educate their children.
—Nicholas Tampio, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026
Greenblatt acknowledged that the root of the problem goes beyond the classroom, explaining that students may be seeing antisemitic information or influence online.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 10 Mar. 2026
And, just maybe, that can go at least a few inches toward explaining the enduring popularity of mah-jongg—also variably spelled mah jong, mahjong, mah jongg, and more, with our spelling taken from Merriam-Webster—one that spans continents and centuries.
—Kase Wickman, Vanity Fair, 10 Mar. 2026
Additionally, part of my role is to address misconceptions people hear about on social media by sharing data on potential side effects and explaining what someone can expect when starting a new birth control.
—Karen Greiner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
After explaining the method in his 2024 smash, Rublev went on to explain the madness.
—James Hansen, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Jupiter in your 3rd House of Discourse backs you up, so a thoughtful chat with a teammate can rally useful support by explaining who does what.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
Families stand to benefit enormously, Muñoz said, explaining free care will put money back in their pockets.
—Morgan Lee, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Tyler Carmona, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
Now, the Connecticut state legislature is moving to control the curriculum of all schools in the state without explaining why politicians know better than parents how to educate their children.
—Nicholas Tampio, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026
Greenblatt acknowledged that the root of the problem goes beyond the classroom, explaining that students may be seeing antisemitic information or influence online.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 10 Mar. 2026
And, just maybe, that can go at least a few inches toward explaining the enduring popularity of mah-jongg—also variably spelled mah jong, mahjong, mah jongg, and more, with our spelling taken from Merriam-Webster—one that spans continents and centuries.
—Kase Wickman, Vanity Fair, 10 Mar. 2026
Additionally, part of my role is to address misconceptions people hear about on social media by sharing data on potential side effects and explaining what someone can expect when starting a new birth control.
—Karen Greiner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
After explaining the method in his 2024 smash, Rublev went on to explain the madness.
—James Hansen, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Jupiter in your 3rd House of Discourse backs you up, so a thoughtful chat with a teammate can rally useful support by explaining who does what.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
Families stand to benefit enormously, Muñoz said, explaining free care will put money back in their pockets.
—Morgan Lee, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explaining
Verb
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Buy time by clarifying When you're caught off guard, asking a question in return can be a powerful move.—
Melody Wilding,
CNBC,
3 Mar. 2026
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When user requests are ambiguous, rather than simply assuming one specific interpretation, systems now often ask a clarifying question to reduce the risk of creating frustration or making mistakes.—
Frédéric Dalsace,
Harvard Business Review,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Neither the warrant nor the underlying affidavit justifying the warrant has been released.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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What’s old is new Third spaces have evolved to encompass specific purposes, justifying the price tag that often comes with them, since some membership clubs can thousands of dollars per month.—
Laya Neelakandan,
CNBC,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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States passed 90 policies bolstering high school career and technical education in 2024, illustrating its increasing political support.—
Miranda Dunlap,
jsonline.com,
6 Mar. 2026
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Other nights, third-year forward Brandon Miller continues illustrating why Charlotte drafted him second in 2024.—
James Jackson,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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If there were a Mensa society for rationalizing one’s own shitty behavior, Pippa would be its president.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
17 Feb. 2026
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Aeffe is rationalizing its retail network and earlier this month the board approved the early termination of the rental contract signed with two real estate firms, Colloportus and FQuattro, respectively controlled by designer Alberta Ferretti and her brother, executive chairman Massimo Ferretti.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The system has progressed through multiple stages of technical evaluation and validation, demonstrating its potential for operational use in counter-UAV missions.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
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Results from a handful of studies were middling — and then the largest study demonstrating its efficacy was retracted in January.—
O. Rose Broderick,
STAT,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In 2021, San Diego prosecutors unsealed an indictment attributing an explosion of violence in Tijuana to a criminal cell known as Los Cabos, who allegedly acted as a brutal enforcement arm of the CJNG.—
Alexandra Mendoza,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Feb. 2026
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In mid-February, Publishers Weekly reported that a hundred thousand copies of Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel had sold in the first two months of this year, compared with a hundred and eighty thousand total last year, attributing the increase to book clubs and influencers of all stripes embracing it.—
Radhika Jones,
New Yorker,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This architecture preserves brightness while simplifying alignment requirements.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Mar. 2026
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Yancey said simplifying regulations and improving permitting processes could make the city more attractive to investors and businesses.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Iranian sailors are interpreting operational instructions, manuals and logs for their Sri Lankan counterparts.—
Bharatha Mallawarachi,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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The performances play as variations on a theme — musicians interpreting the same songbook standard in a different key.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Explaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explaining. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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