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
And two people explaining why a movie going straight to streaming is actually a good thing.
—
Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 22 Apr. 2026
That’s why the timeout confusion, while worth explaining, shouldn’t become the main takeaway.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
Over the weekend, Romeo's mother, Christine, opened up about the Love on the Spectrum couple’s split in a YouTube video shared Sunday alongside Abbey’s cousin, Mary, explaining that there was no dramatic fallout behind the end of their nearly five-year relationship.
—Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
In one clip, the keeper is seen petting Big Al on the back while wearing gloves, explaining the method behind the hands-on approach.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
Analyzing and explaining vast amounts of information in an easily digestible summary is something that other leading chatbots such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, Anthropic's Claude, Perplexity's answer engine and Google's AI overviews already have been doing.
—ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026
Vellimalar, a social worker and managing trustee of the company, works with as many as 500 women farmers in the region, explaining government policies, assisting them with loans, and providing farming assistance.
—Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 19 Apr. 2026
Cohen Higgins made a motion requiring the mayor to come back with a plan explaining how the county was going to pay for the center for the next ten years.
—Jim Defede, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026
In explaining its move, the regulator acknowledged a long-standing complaint from researchers who have argued that without access to specific data, trial results cannot be easily duplicated, which inhibits greater understanding of how medicines might work.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 14 Apr. 2026
Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 22 Apr. 2026
That’s why the timeout confusion, while worth explaining, shouldn’t become the main takeaway.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
Over the weekend, Romeo's mother, Christine, opened up about the Love on the Spectrum couple’s split in a YouTube video shared Sunday alongside Abbey’s cousin, Mary, explaining that there was no dramatic fallout behind the end of their nearly five-year relationship.
—Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
In one clip, the keeper is seen petting Big Al on the back while wearing gloves, explaining the method behind the hands-on approach.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
Analyzing and explaining vast amounts of information in an easily digestible summary is something that other leading chatbots such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, Anthropic's Claude, Perplexity's answer engine and Google's AI overviews already have been doing.
—ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026
Vellimalar, a social worker and managing trustee of the company, works with as many as 500 women farmers in the region, explaining government policies, assisting them with loans, and providing farming assistance.
—Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 19 Apr. 2026
Cohen Higgins made a motion requiring the mayor to come back with a plan explaining how the county was going to pay for the center for the next ten years.
—Jim Defede, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026
In explaining its move, the regulator acknowledged a long-standing complaint from researchers who have argued that without access to specific data, trial results cannot be easily duplicated, which inhibits greater understanding of how medicines might work.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 14 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explaining
Verb
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Through her precise storytelling, Hao offers a clarifying perspective amid the AI mania and lays bare the ravenous, profit-seeking egos driving it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
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There are bills for that, the Count Every Vote Act (CEVA), A4307 and S417, clarifying the definition of a margin of victory required for a recount.—
Phyllis Tashlik,
New York Daily News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Consistently, independent polls showed the opposition with a sizable lead, but Western diplomats in Budapest cautioned me not to underestimate Orbán’s ability to mobilize voters at the last moment, or to manufacture circumstances justifying a state of emergency.—
Isaac Stanley-Becker,
The Atlantic,
12 Apr. 2026
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In the meantime, Varsity faces a Thursday deadline to submit arguments justifying why, at its insistence, a bulk of the docket to date has been filed under seal.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Research highlights that each additional year of schooling increases an individual’s earnings by roughly 10% annually, illustrating how education compounds economic opportunity over time rather than delivering a one-time benefit.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2026
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Adapted from Antonio Scurati’s novel, the series delves into the darker aspects of Mussolini’s character, illustrating how his toxic masculinity and exploitation of fear led to his ascent, while inviting viewers to reflect on the broader implications of his story in today’s political landscape.—
Hilary Lewis,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Instead of obsessively over-rationalizing or avoiding, try making friends with that feeling.—
Goth Shakira
Contributing,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
While rationalizing deception is easy to do, developing the virtue of truthfulness is not.—
Katherine Moses,
The Conversation,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Hermes-1 is not built to produce electricity, which is a crucial step in demonstrating the incorporation of components such as the tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) coated fuel particle and flibe molten fluoride salt coolant.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Apr. 2026
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Instead, the 22-year-old has been used as a right-sided centre-back and has fared well, showcasing her playmaking on the ball and demonstrating an innate knack for box defending.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Anthropomorphism means attributing human characteristics to non-human objects.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
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The Only Murders in the Building star previously addressed speculation about changes in her appearance and mannerisms, attributing the differences to her ongoing battle with lupus and her bipolar disorder diagnosis.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Leaving it all behind for a few days and carrying everything on my back reminded me that the best way to connect with nature is by simplifying, listening and observing what’s around us.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 Apr. 2026
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The agency pitches itself as a one-stop shop for affordable housing financing and says by simplifying a complicated funding process developers can build cheaper.—
Andrew Khouri,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This excitement could be explained by the novelty of photos from space, but these images also distinguish themselves as products of astronauts experiencing these sights and interpreting them through their photographs.—
Christye Sisson,
The Conversation,
13 Apr. 2026
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The robots are also capable of identifying objects, detecting motion, interpreting emotional cues, and responding accordingly.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Explaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explaining. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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