explicitly

American  

[ik-splis-it-lee] / ɪkˈsplɪs ɪt li /

adverb

1. 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.

2. in a way that is direct or precise; specifically.

   Women and underrepresented minorities are explicitly invited to apply.

3. 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.

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Other Word Forms

• overexplicitly
  adverb
• quasi-explicitly
  adverb
• superexplicitly
  adverb
• unexplicitly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of explicitly

explicit ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

When you explain something explicitly, you do it in great detail, leaving no room for misunderstanding. You could intimidate your little brother by explicitly describing what you'll do if he reads your diary. Something that's said or done explicitly is clear and direct, like an explicitly told story about terrible poverty in India — it leaves out no disturbing details, even if it upsets the listener. Explicitly can also refer to sexual situations or details, like a movie whose sex scenes are shown explicitly, or graphically. The Latin root is explicare, "unfold, unravel, explain."

Example Sentences

The NYT has not explicitly said the arena event is a wedding, but that it is a celebration that could be related to the couple's nuptials.

From BBC • Jul. 1, 2026

I would enshrine gender equality in the Constitution, explicitly clarifying that the Equal Rights Amendment is part of our founding document.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 1, 2026

California’s Assembly Bill 1127 does not explicitly name the Glock brand, but instead targets any handgun with a specific mechanism that can easily be converted by a black market device.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026

It did not explicitly invoke the unitary executive theory, but its fealty to the doctrine was clear.

From Salon • Jul. 1, 2026

The teachers introduced a program that explicitly trained the students to construct coherent arguments, with a focus on the connections between successive ideas.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

Related Words

• absolutely
• altogether
• carefully
• completely
• correctly
• definitely
• indeed
• literally
• precisely
• quite
• specifically
• strictly
• totally
• truly