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

She chose not to explicitly endorse Burnham, but is not thought to be preparing a leadership bid herself.

From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026

The suit argues that Kalshi is explicitly targeting CME’s retail customer base by marketing perpetual futures as a simpler alternative to CME’s crypto futures.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026

Warsh, in his first press conference as Fed chair, explicitly reiterated his support for the official 2% inflation target — for now, anyway.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 17, 2026

“Many Mourn for Bob” is the first song you’ve explicitly written about your father.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2026

This outward force would balance the force of the Earth’s gravity if gravity fell off in accordance with an inverse square law, but Newton did not explicitly state this at the time.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin

Related Words

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