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Synonyms

explain

American

[ik-splayn] / ɪkˈspleɪn /

verb (used with object)

to make plain or clear; render understandable or intelligible.

to explain an obscure point.

Synonyms:

explicate

Antonyms:

confuse
to make known in detail.

to explain how to do something.
to assign a meaning to; interpret.

How can you explain such a silly remark?
to make clear the cause or reason of; account for.

I cannot explain his strange behavior.

Synonyms:

justify

verb (used without object)

to give an explanation.

verb phrase

explain away
1. to diminish or nullify the significance of by explanation.
  
  He couldn't explain away his absence from home at the time the robbery was committed.
2. to dispel (doubts, difficulties, etc.) by explanation.
  
  She explained away the child's fears.

explain British

/ ɪkˈspleɪn /

verb

(when tr, may take a clause as object) to make (something) comprehensible, esp by giving a clear and detailed account of the relevant structure, operation, surrounding circumstances, etc
(tr) to justify or attempt to justify (oneself) by giving reasons for one's actions or words

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What are other ways to say explain?

To explain something is to make it plain or clear, or to render it understandable or intelligible. How does explain compare to synonyms elucidate, expound, and interpret? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of explain

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English explanen, from Latin explānāre “to smooth out, make intelligible, spread out on flat surface”; see origin at ex- ¹, plane ¹

Explanation

To explain something is to define it, show how it works, or just tell what it is. Explaining helps people understand. If you know football really well, then you could probably explain it to a non-fan. Explaining makes things clearer. A lot of teaching is explaining — telling how something works. Also, if you do something wrong, people will ask you to explain your actions. Explaining can help someone "get it" — whatever "it" is.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing explain

PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade7)

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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List

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The SAT: Language of the Test, List 4

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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:

explain explains explained explaining

Then again, despite the historically cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry, which helps explain some very low P/E valuations for companies listed below, things might be different during the current technology investment phase.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026

Even after a substantial evening meal, foods rich in sugar, fat or salt can continue to activate reward pathways in the brain, helping explain why many people find themselves reaching for something more.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026

This dynamic helps explain what has played out in the markets since the election.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

Changes associated with Alzheimer's disease, particularly tau accumulation in regions responsible for generating widespread slow waves, may help explain why some people experience greater difficulty retaining memories.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026

“Did he explain what he meant when he said that time was running out? Do you know what he would have done if you hadn’t found him?”

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

Nightmare creatures from the netherworld feast on the worries of mere mortals, he explains, and so he invites guests to unload some of their own.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026

He insisted on a philosophy of “one man, one film,” in which, Mr. Wasson explains, “the great or even good director is the sum of his staff, and his is the final word.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

But, as Jeffry Bartash explains, the U.S. labor market has been remarkably steady, even if hiring remains sluggish.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026

"I can't leave my village. The court rejected our appeal against the expropriations and we don't know what the company will do now," explains Nejla.

From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026

Abuela explains, “I should say, I was born in Turkey. I left for Cuba when I was twelve and never returned to Turkey, never saw my mother and father and my two sisters again.”

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar

Judah Cohen, a climatologist at MIT, explained that the vortex is disrupted from below.

From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026

This week in the Fix My Portfolio column, Beth Pinsker looked at attractive new yields for the Treasury’s I-bonds and explained how you can set up your own inflation-protected income stream.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026

“I should prefer not to talk about this,” Brookner explained.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

Lorena Lopez, an assistant extension professor in NC State's Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology and a co-author of the study, explained that the discovery brings both encouraging and troubling news.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2026

"Kids," said Mary Lou's father, as if that explained everything.

From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville

But Cohen was more circumspect, explaining the current disruption appeared more linked to a record-breaking high-pressure system over Scandinavia and northwestern Russia, which are more favored in La Nina years.

From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026

Fear not, we’ll be back in your inbox tomorrow to do some more explaining about what these results mean.

From Slate ● Nov. 4, 2026

Grynkewich recently spelled out the approach in a speech on his “theory of victory,” explaining that NATO’s defensive forces would first block the initial wave of any attack and then blunt follow-on action.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026

"It can be a dangerous spot, the locals don't really go near it at all," he said, explaining that other parts of the beach are more suitable for walking or swimming.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

And of course, like most things discussed only in whispers, there are dozens of ways of explaining them.

From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

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