Synonyms

explicitly

American

[ik-splis-it-lee] / ɪkˈsplɪs ɪt li /

adverb

in a way that is clearly expressed, demonstrated, or formulated.

There are a couple of important points that I wish had been made more clearly and explicitly.
We should also explicitly advocate for ourselves when it comes to promotions or raises.
in a way that is direct or precise; specifically.

Women and underrepresented minorities are explicitly invited to apply.
in a graphic or detailed way; not leaving anything to the imagination.

The art to be displayed cannot include explicitly sexual scenes, nudity, or salacious or revealing imagery.

Other Word Forms

overexplicitly adverb
quasi-explicitly adverb
superexplicitly adverb
unexplicitly adverb

Etymology

Origin of explicitly

explicit ( def. ) + -ly

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.

Trump again urged on Tuesday in a post on Truth Social, without explicitly naming any country.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

Wang said that to set sail, he would need to hear the Iranian Navy saying explicitly that normal traffic can resume.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Not mentioned in the executive order was lunar competition from China - a factor that Nasa administrator Jared Isaacman has laid out explicitly.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

And, to be honest, had I not explicitly tested my speeds, I probably wouldn’t have noticed the slowdown.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

This idea was first stated explicitly in Newton’s Principia Mathematica, published in 1687, and is known as Newton’s first law.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking

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