clarification
Americannoun
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clarifications
plural
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the act or an instance of making an idea or statement clear.
You may use a pencil to circle words, passages, or phrases that you don't understand or that need clarification.
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the removal of solid matter from a liquid so that it is clear or translucent.
The clarification of butter involves first melting it and then getting rid of all milk solids, leaving behind pure saturated fat.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of clarification
First recorded in 1570–80, for an earlier sense; from Latin clārificātiōn-, stem of clārificātiō “a making clear,” from clārificāre “to make clear”; see clarify ( def. ), -fication ( def. )
Explanation
Clarification is what you hope to achieve when you make an idea or concept less confusing and easier to understand. This often happens after a detailed or very clear explanation. Loudspeaker announcements in bus terminals and train stations are always so muffled and difficult to understand that it would be nice if you could at least find someone afterward who could provide clarification. In the realm of science, clarification is also the act of removing solid particles from a liquid so that it is more pure and, in some cases, so that it is transparent.
Vocabulary lists containing clarification
The Poet X
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The Things They Carried
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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
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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.
See Examples For:
At the same time the constitutional authority found that certain provisions of the legislation required clarification, including the so-called conscience clause, which allows healthcare professionals to refuse to take part in the procedure.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
Pryor points to behavioral traits including coachability, curiosity, reliability, comfort asking for clarification and the ability to repair a misstep.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
A Monday meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Board of Peace Chairman Nickolay Mladenov resulted in a public clarification along those less-trusting lines.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
The DMV did not provide further clarification on what patterns were identified, citing a need to keep its investigative methods confidential and protect the integrity of the process.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
Holly drew a breath to ask for clarification, then thought better of it.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
The governing body overseeing football in South America, Conmebol, said it had asked Fifa for "additional information and clarifications" regarding the "scope, structure, governance and possible effects" of the proposals.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
During the court case, the Met offered clarifications on how it would handle data from Freemason officers.
From BBC ● Feb. 24, 2026
The Guinean embassy in Moscow, which oversees Belarus, told AFP it was following the case with "great humanitarian concern" and said it had demanded "clarifications".
From Barron's ● Jan. 15, 2026
The European Commission, the EU’s executive body, said Wednesday that it “strongly condemns” the U.S. decision and has requested clarifications.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 24, 2025
He’d brought a big drawing pad and asked me to describe the creature again, and as I did he sketched it, stopping occasionally to ask for clarifications.
From "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
