explicit

American  

[ik-splis-it] / ɪkˈsplɪs ɪt /

adjective

1. fully and clearly expressed or demonstrated; leaving nothing merely implied; unequivocal.

   explicit instructions; an explicit act of violence; explicit language.

   Synonyms:

   unambiguous, exact, precise, definite, express

   Antonyms:

   ambiguous, indefinite

2. clearly developed or formulated.

   explicit knowledge; explicit belief.

3. definite and unreserved in expression; outspoken.

   He was quite explicit as to what he expected us to do for him.

   Synonyms:

   unabashed, forthright, open

4. having sexual acts or nudity clearly depicted.

   explicit movies; explicit books.

5. Mathematics. (of a function) having the dependent variable expressed directly in terms of the independent variables, as y = 3 x + 4.

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explicit ¹ British  

/ ɪkˈsplɪsɪt /

adjective

1. precisely and clearly expressed, leaving nothing to implication; fully stated

   explicit instructions

2. graphically detailed, leaving little to the imagination

   sexually explicit scenes

3. openly expressed without reservations; unreserved

4. maths (of a function) having an equation of the form y=f ( x ), in which y is expressed directly in terms of x, as in y=x ⁴ + x + z Compare implicit

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explicit ² British  

/ ɪkˈsplɪsɪt /

1. the end; an indication, used esp by medieval scribes, of the end of a book, part of a manuscript, etc

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Other Word Forms

• explicitness
  noun
• overexplicit
  adjective
• quasi-explicit
  adjective
• superexplicit
  adjective
• unexplicit
  adjective
• explicitly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of explicit

First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin explicitus “unfolded, set forth,” variant past participle of explicāre; see origin at explicate

Explanation

Anything explicit is completely clear and includes details. If you don't want your little brother to become a snake snack, you'll need to give him explicit instructions for feeding your pet boa constrictor safely. This adjective describes anything that is clear, detailed, and easy to understand. Explicit orders are easy to carry out, and explicit directions are easy to follow. When someone is explicit, they're not beating around the bush or being confusing. Explicit can also mean "offensive" or "graphic," a description that is sometimes included in parental-advisory warnings about "explicit language" or "explicit violence" in movies.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

explicit

The cards would come with constraints on how much agents could spend and what they could spend it on, but they wouldn’t need explicit human approval to make transactions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

"I have been quite explicit to say there is unlikely to be a legacy because I'm anticipating spending it all."

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

Newsom also signed bills to boost protections under the California Voting Rights Act, including an explicit ban on voter suppression and expanded access to election materials in languages other than English.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

A judicial duty explicit in the Constitution, the enforcement of federal statutes is foundational to a nation where every individual, including the president, is subject to the rule of law.

From Slate ● Sep. 16, 2026

Good writers may have no explicit awareness of how these constructions and verb types work, and they certainly don’t know their names.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

Related Words

• accurate
• categorical
• certain
• clear
• clear-cut
• correct
• definite
• definitive
• exact
• obvious
• positive
• precise
• straightforward
• unequivocal