clarify
Americanverb (used with object)
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clarifies,
present (3rd person singular)
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clarified,
past participle, past
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clarifying
present participle
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to make (an idea, statement, etc.) clear or intelligible; to free from ambiguity.
- Synonyms:
- resolve, elucidate, illuminate, explain
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to remove solid matter from (a liquid); to make into a clear or pellucid liquid.
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to free (the mind, intelligence, etc.) from confusion; revive.
The short nap clarified his thoughts.
verb (used without object)
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clarifies,
present (3rd person singular)
-
clarified,
past participle, past
-
clarifying
present participle
verb
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to make or become clear or easy to understand
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to make or become free of impurities
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to make (fat, butter, etc) clear by heating, etc, or (of fat, etc) to become clear as a result of such a process
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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clarificationnoun
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clarifiernoun
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nonclarifiedadjective
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unclarifiedadjective
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unclarifyingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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clarifysimple
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clarifiessimple
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have clarifiedperfect
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has clarifiedperfect
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am clarifyingprogressive
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are clarifyingprogressive
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is clarifyingprogressive
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have been clarifyingperfect progressive
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has been clarifyingperfect progressive
Past
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clarifiedsimple
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had clarifiedperfect
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was clarifyingprogressive
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were clarifyingprogressive
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had been clarifyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of clarify
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French clarifier, from Late Latin clārificāre, equivalent to Latin clār(us) “clear” + -ificāre -ify
Explanation
Clarify means to clear up confusion and make it all understandable. In a heart-breaking text, she clarified that she never ever wanted to see him again. It also means to remove impurities in a liquid; you clarify butter by gently heating it. Clarify and clear are related, of course, and clear means you can see right through it. If you clarify your intention or your meaning, others will understand it clearly. If you aren't clear at the outset, you might find the need to clarify what you want later.
Vocabulary lists containing clarify
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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The SAT: Language of the Test, List 3
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TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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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.
See Examples For:
Since then, a series of official statements have sought to clarify the directive.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
This fresh attempt to clarify his position is styled by Mr. Fukuyama as a memoir, but it is better seen as a series of meditations—the meditations, in truth, of a misunderstood man.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
She says clients use prenups to clarify if they had the pet before marriage, whose pet it is, and what the expectations are if the couple splits or someone dies.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026
Jadallah did not clarify whether the pilot or co-pilot survived, and officials declined to answer questions after brief statements were made.
From Barron's ● Sep. 6, 2026
“Not until you clarify your relationship with that drooling old man,” the silhouette answered.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
It’s not that the clothes were ever disappointing, she clarifies — it’s just that the anticipation was such a big part of the process.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
The bill, which clarifies the regulatory structure around digital assets, is making slow progress through Congress.
From Barron's ● May 22, 2026
For her turn hosting, Leisz rented a boat — not quite a yacht, she clarifies — in Marina del Rey, paired with lobster rolls and champagne.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 2026
“People that are looking for a property or going to sell a property, starstruck is the last thing they are,” she clarifies.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 3, 2026
With no recognition, George clarifies, “We are who we are. Forget the morning and move on.”
From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers
But if one were making a list in one’s head, last weekend’s results should have clarified the odds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
That’s one thing my time in Albania clarified to me: Albanians aren’t necessarily anti-tourism.
From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026
Mr. Obama clarified that there is no evidence of aliens, “unless there’s this enormous conspiracy.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
But he quickly clarified, "we want to be excited - that's why we love this club. I'm fully aware that we need to do it in a certain way".
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
But then she clarified: “Why did you run away, honey?”
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
But the announcement stops short of clarifying how the funding will be split between council homes and those provided by housing associations.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
What makes this episode unusually clarifying is that nobody on the winning side seems to feel much need to disguise the motive.
From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026
A spokeswoman for Cornyn was quoted by US media as saying he had reached an agreement with the Department of Justice over "permanently terminating" the anti-weaponization fund and clarifying the scope of the audit settlement.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
On Monday, after a host of U.S. companies including Nvidia and Microsoft signed a letter showing their support for open models, Amodei published a letter clarifying his position on the heated debate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
I failed to realize that intelligence tests effectively muck with both your past and your future, clarifying a lifetime of bad choices and setting you up for the inevitability of future failure.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
