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

While the Transportation Department doesn’t explicitly state that passengers should be compensated for subpar flight experiences, travelers like Monique believe that requests for such compensation are warranted.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

In case anyone detects ambiguity in this clause, Article 6, though almost never cited, states the matter explicitly:

From Slate • Apr. 9, 2026

“L.A. was losing art because of its poor facilities,” Govan said, noting that Perenchio explicitly told him he would not leave his collection to the old buildings.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

The text, seen by AFP, calls for respect for navigational freedom without explicitly mentioning Hormuz.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

She hadn’t explicitly told Celia what she was going to do, but she thought maybe her friend had guessed.

From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon

Related Words

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