explain
verb (used with object)
to make plain or clear; render understandable or intelligible.
explained
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past participleof explain.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof explain.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
explainverb (used with object)to make plain or clear; render understandable or intelligible.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A chemistry concept taught to generations of students may need to be explained very differently, according to an international team of researchers who say a long-accepted textbook description does not match modern evidence.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
Matson left school at 16 years old with "no qualifications," he explained, adding that his dyslexia left him "struggling to read and write".
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
The film, which premiered on Sunday at the festival, does not aim to be "a lesson about what that condition might be," its director explained.
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026
As we’ve explained, the 340B program provides an incentive for nonprofit hospitals to expand to increase revenue from this government-created drug price arbitrage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026
“They’re not tree branches, Duane—they’re antlers,” she explained while she flipped through the pages of one of her large books.
From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el
