as in to explain
to make plain or understandable
the physicist did his best to explicate the wave theory of light for the audience of laymen
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Recent Examples of explicate
Each of the songs explicates a place and time of an incident or an idea in the lives of the protagonists.
—
Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024
The Michael Mann Archives also provide a wealth of video content in the form of 18 documentaries that explicate Mann and his collaborators’ process from a wide array of perspectives including acting, production design, cinematography, and props.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 16 July 2024
It’s never fully explicated in the screenplay, but Max’s past mental health issues and possibly undiagnosed autism spectrum disorder are frequently alluded to, thrumming below the surface.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 31 May 2024
The initial version was published in The Columbia Journal of Law & The Arts, with 248 footnotes explicating both legal and operatic precedents.
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 8 Sep. 2010
See All Example Sentences for explicate
Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024
The Michael Mann Archives also provide a wealth of video content in the form of 18 documentaries that explicate Mann and his collaborators’ process from a wide array of perspectives including acting, production design, cinematography, and props.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 16 July 2024
It’s never fully explicated in the screenplay, but Max’s past mental health issues and possibly undiagnosed autism spectrum disorder are frequently alluded to, thrumming below the surface.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 31 May 2024
The initial version was published in The Columbia Journal of Law & The Arts, with 248 footnotes explicating both legal and operatic precedents.
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 8 Sep. 2010
See All Example Sentences for explicate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explicate
Verb
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In March 2025, Chelsea gave PEOPLE an exclusive update on Max's health journey, explaining that their son has had to relearn basic functions and attend physical therapy.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
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The canal connected increasingly specialized regions in the early US, explains historian Roger Ransom.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Responding to one analyst who believed the closing of the Versace deal was complete, Guerra clarified that the transaction is not closed.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
23 Oct. 2025
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The report does not clarify if this will lead to widespread layoffs.—
Abhishek Bhardwaj,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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His goal to seal the win against Italy — a lung-busting run and cultured finish in the dying moments — helped to illustrate the impressive engine at the heart of Cremaschi’s game.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
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Those statements, which emphasized the teams’ conversations with officials in both states, illustrated that locations in Missouri and Kansas were still in the mix months after both states approved sweeping incentives packages to secure them.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The 2028 Olympics Earlier this year, Archer Aviation became the exclusive air taxi partner for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, a move Goldstein hopes will demonstrate Midnight’s capabilities on a global stage.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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While potentially an intimidating shoe to some consumers, Hosk demonstrated how the statement boots can be styled.—
Jaden Thompson,
Footwear News,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Explicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explicate. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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