Synonyms

explain

American

[ik-spleyn] / 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

PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade7)

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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List

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The SAT: Language of the Test, List 4

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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

The findings suggest that a person's prescription history may help explain differences in the gut microbiome years later.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 24, 2026

Perhaps, on Tuesday, director of cricket Rob Key will once again explain why the players he manages cannot keep themselves out of trouble.

From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026

It took months of being patient waiting for people to be willing to talk about the emotional scene to explain how his life was saved.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026

I asked him to explain what was actually wrong with the SPLC, and how best not to conflate that with what the Trump administration is alleging now.

From Slate ● Aug. 22, 2026

I wouldn’t know how to explain what’s been going on with Karly, and I wouldn’t want to, either.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

Yet typically only two or three generate a meaningful immune response, Graybosch explains.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026

Over the last year, key details about the phone's manufacture, design and delivery date have changed, and some customers are still waiting for their phones - as Thomas Copeland explains.

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026

This explains why my brain reflexively associated Ritchson’s latest work in a movie classic cinema buffs would likely dismiss as trash, with one of the greatest performers of early 20th century cinema.

From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2026

"By revealing intermediate states, our method could help design materials that can be efficiently controlled using light," explains Ishikawa.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026

He explains how moving it around and clicking on it controls the little arrow on the screen, doing the same thing the flat pad of our old laptop did.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

“Concerts used to give you a physical ticket and then they stopped,” she explained.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

“Raising Cane’s is a step above other fast-food chicken forms,” one friend explained to me, a non-Caniac, over his three-finger combo.

From Slate ● Aug. 24, 2026

"Everybody knew me as the wee girl with the marks," Laura explained.

From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026

"He misses his family... but also his friends, his country of birth," Owens explained.

From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026

Duane sometimes had difficulty understanding the musk ox, who once explained that his formal education gave him an expansive vocabulary.

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

I could also handwrite a last will and testament explaining my wishes.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026

CNN reported that White House chief of staff Susie Wiles met privately with Jennings at Mastro’s Steakhouse in Washington, with one senior administration official explaining the interest bluntly: Jennings is “competent and good on TV.”

From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2026

That level of demand goes a long way toward explaining why so much capital continues to pour into the construction of AI infrastructure, which is necessary to produce those tokens.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

"I'm still in my training period, so I'm feeling a little nervous," the self-described "intern" said in an earnest female voice, explaining how the school provided tailored courses and certification for specific robot jobs.

From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026

I must not’ve been doing a very good job explaining about Pokemon and being cool and lunch and everything, because Betsy went from looking confused-mad to just mad-mad.

From Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff

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