as in interpretative
serving to explain
the explanatory section has as its heading "What the New Tax Changes Mean"
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Recent Examples of explanatory
The San Francisco Chronicle received the award for explanatory reporting, which means work that makes a complex topic comprehensible to everyday readers and viewers.
—
Jennifer Peltz,
Twin Cities,
4 May 2026
ProPublica received Pulitzers for public service in 2025, public service in 2024, national reporting in 2020, feature writing in 2019, public service in 2017, explanatory reporting in 2016, national reporting in 2011 and investigative reporting in 2010.
—
ProPublica,
4 May 2026
Even so, finding more explanatory mechanisms hasn’t been top of mind for neuroscientists.
—
Yasemin Saplakoglu,
Quanta Magazine,
24 Apr. 2026
Read’s book is a great explanatory account of the industry, connecting big, nebulous ideas like neoliberalism to actual concrete things.
—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for explanatory
Jennifer Peltz,
Twin Cities,
4 May 2026
ProPublica received Pulitzers for public service in 2025, public service in 2024, national reporting in 2020, feature writing in 2019, public service in 2017, explanatory reporting in 2016, national reporting in 2011 and investigative reporting in 2010.
—
ProPublica,
4 May 2026
Even so, finding more explanatory mechanisms hasn’t been top of mind for neuroscientists.
—
Yasemin Saplakoglu,
Quanta Magazine,
24 Apr. 2026
Read’s book is a great explanatory account of the industry, connecting big, nebulous ideas like neoliberalism to actual concrete things.
—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for explanatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explanatory
Adjective
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When subtle interpretative differences compound over months and miles, your original vision becomes unrecognizable on the front lines.
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Most of these interpretative moves work fine because they’re thought through and balanced by other moves.
Adjective
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Of four interpretive signs at the park, used mostly by Brickell residents to walk their dogs, two have faded to illegibility.
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Today, preserving that history increasingly relies on museums, public art, interpretive markers and community institutions that continue telling those stories.
Adjective
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Volkswagen's challenges are illustrative of the headwinds facing the broader European automotive industry, Luman said, citing challenges on the road to full electrification, competition with Chinese car brands and export problems in major markets.
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The illustrative nature of a comic is unparalleled in its ability to transport people.
Cite this Entry
“Explanatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explanatory. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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