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

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

When ratifying the amendment in 1868, however, Congress explicitly recognized that it would also apply to the American-born offspring of immigrants.

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026

Barred by law from invoking race explicitly, those committed to racial hierarchy were forced to search for new means of achieving their goals according to the new rules of American democracy.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

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