Synonyms

explain

American

[ik-splayn] / ɪkˈspleɪn /

verb (used with object)

to make plain or clear; render understandable or intelligible.

to explain an obscure point.

Synonyms:

explicate

Antonyms:

confuse
to make known in detail.

to explain how to do something.
to assign a meaning to; interpret.

How can you explain such a silly remark?
to make clear the cause or reason of; account for.

I cannot explain his strange behavior.

Synonyms:

justify

verb (used without object)

to give an explanation.

verb phrase

explain away
1. to diminish or nullify the significance of by explanation.
  
  He couldn't explain away his absence from home at the time the robbery was committed.
2. to dispel (doubts, difficulties, etc.) by explanation.
  
  She explained away the child's fears.

explain British

/ ɪkˈspleɪn /

verb

(when tr, may take a clause as object) to make (something) comprehensible, esp by giving a clear and detailed account of the relevant structure, operation, surrounding circumstances, etc
(tr) to justify or attempt to justify (oneself) by giving reasons for one's actions or words

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What are other ways to say explain?

To explain something is to make it plain or clear, or to render it understandable or intelligible. How does explain compare to synonyms elucidate, expound, and interpret? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of explain

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English explanen, from Latin explānāre “to smooth out, make intelligible, spread out on flat surface”; see origin at ex- ¹, plane ¹

Explanation

To explain something is to define it, show how it works, or just tell what it is. Explaining helps people understand. If you know football really well, then you could probably explain it to a non-fan. Explaining makes things clearer. A lot of teaching is explaining — telling how something works. Also, if you do something wrong, people will ask you to explain your actions. Explaining can help someone "get it" — whatever "it" is.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing explain

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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:

explain explains explained explaining

She does, as she tried to explain, deserve your thanks.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026

In a statement, Meta told the BBC that may temporarily restrict accounts to comply with India's IT Rules but did not explain the specific reasons for restricting Acharya's account or Manjul's post.

From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026

But some economists say Chair Kevin Warsh’s reluctance to explain his strategy is too often leaving investors guessing.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026

And it helps explain why the male Instacart shopper meme has proven so durable.

From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2026

You explain the situation, that you’re trying to learn the same thing.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

One year ago, Snider explains, prediction-market volumes were about $5 billion monthly.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026

Staying in the canal would seriously jeopardise Bukangi because of falling autumn temperatures, Kim explains.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

BBC Verify has tracked dozens of AI ads to assess how they are being used by campaigns - as Jake Horton explains.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

“The ‘particles’ of particle physics,” Mr. Rovelli explains, “are not particles like grains of sand: the very notion of a particle is a metaphor.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

He explains how to check out the basketball.

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

Micron stock was gaining as it explained why it’s not worried about CXMT’s 4F square memory-chip design.

From Barron's ● Oct. 26, 2026

"Instead of the current technology, where we constantly need more space and energy to process data, skyrmions could make it possible to build much smaller and more energy-efficient data storage systems," explained Sudbø.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 26, 2026

"They have been able to take that emotional momentum into a proper organisation and have people learn how to protect fairness at polling stations," Helena Ivanov explained.

From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026

Before a round of golf at Askernish, on the Isle of South Uist in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides, course manager David Shawish explained a local rule in a Scottish lilt.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026

As C.C. once explained, some facts need to be demonstrated in order to be believed.

From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el

“As a male shopper I hate these posts,” one Reddit commenter wrote, explaining that he handled his family’s grocery shopping and knew his local stores intimately.

From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2026

"The old-map analogy is useful for explaining how historical bias can be inherited, but it has its limits," he told BBC News.

From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026

“We got a million of these,” he said after doling out a few verses of “On to the Next One” — not bragging so much as explaining.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026

Morris suggests explaining this card system to your niece and then checking in at regular intervals to make sure she’s following the rules.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 24, 2026

And when I got confused when Mrs. Rouse was explaining about the online card catalog, Betsy didn’t make fun of me.

From Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023