1
as in explaining
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
Relevance
2
as in glossing (over)
to make (something) seem less bad by offering excuses
tried to explain away his adulterous affairs by saying that men are promiscuous by nature
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of explaining away
Former New York Jets linebacker Darron Lee asked ChatGPT for help explaining away his girlfriend’s fatal injuries a day before she was found dead in their Tennessee home, prosecutors said Monday.
—
Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2026
For months, the West Wing has had difficulty explaining away stubbornly high prices but has been able to celebrate the low cost of gas.
—Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2026
For months, the West Wing has had difficulty explaining away stubbornly high prices but has been able to celebrate the low cost of gas.
—Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explaining away
Verb
-
Board member David Young suggested the county could devise some kind of explanation or message on the county’s website explaining the reason for the changes, and Gumz asked Lasky to come up with language for a potential disclaimer for the website to be considered by the committee.—
Molly Morrow,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
-
When asked about the defective cameras in the jail and the lack of a clear timeline explaining how Epstein was able to take his own life, Blanche acknowledged mistakes.—
Erik Ortiz,
NBC news,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Americans must hold the president to a higher standard and stop excusing him like a misbehaving child from a broken home.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
7 Feb. 2026
-
But there’s no excusing Josh Allen’s four turnovers.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Sheeran inserted language into the Medicaid settlement justifying the $10 million diversion on the grounds that the Hope Florida program would be expanding into Medicaid.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
17 Mar. 2026
-
In justifying the bilateral talks, the Cuban president cited the country’s energy collapse, noting that some areas have gone more than 30 hours without power.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Explaining away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explaining%20away. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
