1
as in explains
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
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2
as in excuses
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explains away
Verb
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Harvard Professor Carla Martin explains how cacao transformed from a sacred drink into a Valentine’s Day staple — and how history, marketing and chemistry helped give chocolate its emotional power.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026 -
Athletes are tested for substances as part of the Monitoring Program during regular doping checks in order to gather data on usage, Fitzgerald explains.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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So people tend to define antisemitism in a way that excuses their side, and that throws all of the blame on the other side.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
6 Feb. 2026
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For true Second Amendment advocates, Pretti’s decision to bring a gun to a protest in no way excuses his killing.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Every clash justifies the next.—
Joe Palaggi,
Twin Cities,
11 Feb. 2026
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Cole justifies The Fall-Off’s double-disc length by focusing each half on a trip home, at ages 29 and 39, representing two different points in his mission to be the greatest.—
Benny Sun,
Pitchfork,
10 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Explains away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explains%20away. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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