explicatory

adjective

ek-ˈspli-kə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce explicatory (audio)
Definition of explicatorynext
as in interpretive
serving to explain most of the medical film's voice-over narration consists of explicatory remarks on the images being shown

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of explicatory But Reichardt has no interest in the kind of conventional storytelling that requires clues and revelations building to an explicatory conclusion. — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Aug. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explicatory
  1. interpretive
  2. interpretative
  3. illustrative
Adjective
  • Cadet will work with architect Rodney Leon, who is also of Haitian descent, and who will advise on the interpretive writing and symbolic elements of the statue and its lighting and siting.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • One-on-one, face-to-face discussions trigger key interpretive understandings that are authentic to each stakeholder.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of interpretive
Adjective
  • The effects of such abstemiousness are less clear, though a pair of new movies point in two very different interpretative directions.
    — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The nonprofit is dedicated to promoting forest conservation efforts through exhibits, with interpretative trails around the site that venture through lush forest canopies.
    — Molly Allen, Travel + Leisure, 27 June 2026
Definition of interpretative
Adjective
  • These examples are illustrative of the fact that athletes already take their fertility and menstrual cycles into consideration, Carson says.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The stunning indictment of Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota last week marked another illustrative example of the position’s outsized power, according to one top lawmaker.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of illustrative

Browse Nearby Words

explicative
explicatory
explicit
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Cite this Entry

“Explicatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explicatory. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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