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.

"These documents reveal that the project didn't just cost significantly more than its original budget but that this happened despite officials explicitly recognising the need to control spending," he said.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

The state law explicitly permits, however, providing “assistance to a person undergoing gender transition.”

From The Wall Street Journal • 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

"So this disinformation is either explicitly or implicitly a part of that larger campaign," he said.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

He told some people precisely what the experiment was about and told them explicitly to avoid stereotypes based on race.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

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