1
as in illustrates
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 justifies
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 explains
Tyler Stimmel, an agent in Music Brand Partnerships, further explains that when mega-events are so close together, brands can own a moment in culture rather than just a single event.
—
Charles Taylor, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Lior Torenberg explains what sets the Sad Girl Grifter (SGG) apart from her lying, scheming peers.
—Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
That means a silver sliver of the moon will be visible, with most of its illuminated half facing away from Earth, NASA explains.
—Eric Lagatta, AZCentral.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Prosecutor explains release before triple tourist killing Bojeh, who lived next door to the rental property, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and is being held without bond.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 23 Jan. 2026
In many restaurants, Nurdjaja explains, these offerings are an easy solution for dessert items even as the industry is hiring fewer and fewer dedicated pastry chefs.
—Charlie Kolodziej, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Jan. 2026
Shaped by a desire to honor the skin’s own light rather than mask or alter it, Pyrpylis explains that radiant skin has always been at the heart of the Hermès philosophy.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 23 Jan. 2026
As argued in his book Abundance, Ezra Klein explains how America's growth has been hindered by well-meaning regulations, permitting requirements, and veto points that have blocked affordable housing, infrastructure, and clean energy development.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 13 Jan. 2026
While comfortable, overstuffed recliners are no longer all the rage, explains Jason Saft, the founder of Staged to Sell Home.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 12 Jan. 2026
Charles Taylor, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Lior Torenberg explains what sets the Sad Girl Grifter (SGG) apart from her lying, scheming peers.
—Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
That means a silver sliver of the moon will be visible, with most of its illuminated half facing away from Earth, NASA explains.
—Eric Lagatta, AZCentral.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Prosecutor explains release before triple tourist killing Bojeh, who lived next door to the rental property, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and is being held without bond.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 23 Jan. 2026
In many restaurants, Nurdjaja explains, these offerings are an easy solution for dessert items even as the industry is hiring fewer and fewer dedicated pastry chefs.
—Charlie Kolodziej, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Jan. 2026
Shaped by a desire to honor the skin’s own light rather than mask or alter it, Pyrpylis explains that radiant skin has always been at the heart of the Hermès philosophy.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 23 Jan. 2026
As argued in his book Abundance, Ezra Klein explains how America's growth has been hindered by well-meaning regulations, permitting requirements, and veto points that have blocked affordable housing, infrastructure, and clean energy development.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 13 Jan. 2026
While comfortable, overstuffed recliners are no longer all the rage, explains Jason Saft, the founder of Staged to Sell Home.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 12 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explains
Verb
-
Manufacturing Innovation Is Scaling Solar’s Next Phase At the manufacturing and supply-chain level, SolarEdge’s January 2026 announcement illustrates how solar technology providers are adapting to rapid global growth.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Sanders threatening football players with monetary fines for failing to report to work illustrates his control as coach.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Satisfy gets a lot of flack for its prices, but this running jacket justifies the price tag thanks to its effective modularity and (extremely) lightweight design.—
Will Porter,
Outside,
4 Jan. 2026
-
While there are legitimate concerns throughout the Midwest about future reliability due to new data centers and their substantial power consumption, there is no looming emergency that justifies the administration’s action here.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The ordinance clarifies existing rules and ensures they are upheld by county contractors, grantees and leaseholders.—
Alexandra Mendoza,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Jan. 2026
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The ad clarifies that Ye now believes the diagnosis of bipolar disorder.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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End-to-end humanoid control Figure claims Helix 02 demonstrates a major step forward in humanoid autonomy by performing continuous, multi-minute tasks that require tight integration of locomotion, dexterity, and sensing.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
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Interestingly, a 2023 study from the Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens demonstrates that dolphins can remember others’ signature whistles even after long periods of separation.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Thousands of tax filers will also get an additional average benefit of $575 as the state expands and simplifies the child and dependent care tax credit, which helps cover the costs of child care.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
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And that significantly lowers risk and simplifies their operations.—
K.H. Koehler,
Miami Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This Leo Full Moon illuminates confidence, creativity, leadership, and the desire to be seen.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
25 Jan. 2026
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Amid the chronological retelling of anecdotes and landmark events in Valdez’s storied career, Alvarado also illuminates the elderly master’s personal wounds.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Explains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explains. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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