1
as in interpretation
a statement that makes something clear
an explanation of photosynthesis that most museum visitors will be able to understand
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in reason
a statement given to explain a belief or act
when questioned by authorities, the students were at a loss for an explanation for their senseless vandalism
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of explanation
There are usually explanations for it.
—
Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
Advertisement Local and state officials, however, have rejected that explanation.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 7 Jan. 2026
Horace Frank, a former LAPD assistant chief who once oversaw the department’s detectives, said there’s no simple explanation.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
In Sapezal, home to some 32,000 people, she was paid nearly 1 million reais ($178,798) to perform an hour and a half long set (this sum was so high that a judge demanded an explanation from the municipal government).
—Carolina Abbott Galvão, The Dial, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for explanation
Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
Advertisement Local and state officials, however, have rejected that explanation.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 7 Jan. 2026
Horace Frank, a former LAPD assistant chief who once oversaw the department’s detectives, said there’s no simple explanation.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
In Sapezal, home to some 32,000 people, she was paid nearly 1 million reais ($178,798) to perform an hour and a half long set (this sum was so high that a judge demanded an explanation from the municipal government).
—Carolina Abbott Galvão, The Dial, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for explanation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explanation
Noun
-
Digital Transactions Statutory distinctions require interpretation, and section 4475 includes a lot of them.—
Carrie Brandon Elliot,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
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Modern interpretations from scholars at institutions like Cornell Law and the Congressional Research Service say the majority, if not all, of the acting Cabinet heads would need to sign on with the vice president to put Section 4 into action.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
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And there was no reason to change it.—
Renée Onque,
CNBC,
21 Jan. 2026
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And so there's no reason to expect that to be different in this scenario, too.—
Shaun Boyd,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The light and dark wash prints were developed using photographs of vintage denim pieces then combined to create an illustration that could be printed onto silk.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
13 Jan. 2026
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This material is for illustration and discussion purposes and not intended to be, nor construed as, financial, legal, tax or investment advice.—
Katie Stockton,
CNBC,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Kathleen Hartnett of Cooley LLP, one of the groups that filed the lawsuit, will present arguments on behalf of Hecox, the American Civil Liberties Union told the Statesman.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
11 Jan. 2026
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The two attorneys made a slew of arguments to defend their position, including that the pair of lawmakers did not have legal standing to bring a suit related to their official duties in the first place.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
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All-in-one cleaning, water clarification, and voice control AquaSense X is an all-in-one cleaner across major surfaces, including walls, floors, waterlines, and water surface cleaning.—
IE Creative Studio,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
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Representatives for Hernández and representatives for SNL didn't immediately respond to Entertainment Weekly's request for clarification.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In 1942, Short’s mother received an apology letter from her husband, who had been presumed deceased for over a decade, according to Shattered Dreams.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
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Despite the apology, Verizon did not say whether the outage stemmed from a technical failure or a broader systems issue, fueling speculation and frustration online.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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However, StyleCaster may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
8 Jan. 2026
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The blockchain infrastructure company scoops up a crypto accounting firm.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Miller presented the numerous challenges people face when purchasing a home in the country today as justification for her bill in a press release on Wednesday.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Jan. 2026
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This is a clear and tangible justification for transferring.—
Christopher Rim,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Explanation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explanation. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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