1
as in clarifying
to make plain or understandable
a pamphlet that explains the medical procedure in language that any layperson can understand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in justifying
to give the reason for or cause of
can you explain your very odd behavior at the wedding reception?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of explaining
The species evolved to adapt, with some growing larger and others smaller than their mainland counterparts, explaining the larger size of the island scrub-jay and the small size of the island fox.
—
Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 29 Apr. 2026
In 2012, Classic Media was bought by DreamWorks Animation, which in turn was acquired by Universal Pictures parent NBCUniversal in 2016, explaining why the potential Disney+ series is a co-production between DreamWorks Animation TV and UCP.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
Most of the staff are politely, if coolly, efficient, but there were a couple of more gregarious waitstaff at the restaurant who were happily chatting with diners, explaining the provenance of various ingredients.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
How Taylor Swift wrote 'Elizabeth Taylor' In 2024, Swift was in the car with her boyfriend Travis Kelce, passionately explaining to him why Elizabeth Taylor fascinated her.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Ballario’s video is unclear, explaining that Hirst’s relevance to the project, which is intended to celebrate McDonald’s 40th anniversary in Italy, is, in fact, irrelevant.
—Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Some backgrounding will be helpful in explaining why.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 28 Apr. 2026
And two people explaining why a movie going straight to streaming is actually a good thing.
—Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 22 Apr. 2026
That’s why the timeout confusion, while worth explaining, shouldn’t become the main takeaway.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 29 Apr. 2026
In 2012, Classic Media was bought by DreamWorks Animation, which in turn was acquired by Universal Pictures parent NBCUniversal in 2016, explaining why the potential Disney+ series is a co-production between DreamWorks Animation TV and UCP.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
Most of the staff are politely, if coolly, efficient, but there were a couple of more gregarious waitstaff at the restaurant who were happily chatting with diners, explaining the provenance of various ingredients.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
How Taylor Swift wrote 'Elizabeth Taylor' In 2024, Swift was in the car with her boyfriend Travis Kelce, passionately explaining to him why Elizabeth Taylor fascinated her.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Ballario’s video is unclear, explaining that Hirst’s relevance to the project, which is intended to celebrate McDonald’s 40th anniversary in Italy, is, in fact, irrelevant.
—Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Some backgrounding will be helpful in explaining why.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 28 Apr. 2026
And two people explaining why a movie going straight to streaming is actually a good thing.
—Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 22 Apr. 2026
That’s why the timeout confusion, while worth explaining, shouldn’t become the main takeaway.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explaining
Verb
-
According to Simpkins, the attorney for the BOE, the department will immediately implement several changes in response to the results of the audit — including clarifying the process for an appeal and notifying taxpayers of their rights and deadlines in a timely manner.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Further clarifying questions from legislators and other interested parties are welcome.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Quiet-luxury proponents would often speak of frequency of use and cost per wear in justifying a four-figure black wool sweater.—
Marisa Meltzer,
Vanity Fair,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Military technology has become more sophisticated, but the minds justifying its use are stuck in the past.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Yelverton’s PowerPoint presentation included all sorts of big numbers and bullet points illustrating what an incredible run of deals their investments in the stadium has been for the city.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Adapted from Antonio Scurati’s novel, the series delves into the darker aspects of Mussolini’s character, illustrating how his toxic masculinity and exploitation of fear led to his ascent, while inviting viewers to reflect on the broader implications of his story in today’s political landscape.—
Brande Victorian,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Instead of obsessively over-rationalizing or avoiding, try making friends with that feeling.—
Goth Shakira
Contributing,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
While rationalizing deception is easy to do, developing the virtue of truthfulness is not.—
Katherine Moses,
The Conversation,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
These galaxies do not follow the relations predicted by either the external field effect or the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation, demonstrating that such an effect is not universal.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The man suspected to be the gunman who opened fire at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on April 25 appeared in a Los Angeles television news report demonstrating a prototype wheelchair in 2017.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Anthropomorphism means attributing human characteristics to non-human objects.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The Only Murders in the Building star previously addressed speculation about changes in her appearance and mannerisms, attributing the differences to her ongoing battle with lupus and her bipolar disorder diagnosis.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The contracts are under $250,000 and require MnDOT to seek just two quotes, simplifying the normal competitive bidding process that might otherwise shut out many small shops.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Toyota pulled that off by simplifying the structure and reducing the number of axles.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When interpreting known brands, his first mission is authenticity.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
25 Apr. 2026
-
This long-term evolution culminated in the training of an algorithm capable of accurately interpreting and recognizing complex patterns of electrical pulses within the system.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Explaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explaining. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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