explanation

[ek-spluh-ney-shuhn] / ˌɛk spləˈneɪ ʃən /

NOUN

clarification; reason

Synonyms

STRONGEST

account answer cause comment commentary confession definition description evidence example excuse expression information interpretation justification meaning motive note report resolution sense statement story summary

STRONG

annotation breakdown brief demonstration details display elucidation explication exposition gloss history illustration mitigation narration recital rendition showing significance specification tale talking telling vindication writing

Antonyms

STRONGEST

ignorance question quiet silence

STRONG

concealment hiding vagueness

WEAK

complication

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.

Several explanations have been proposed for what triggered this dramatic climate reversal.

From Science Daily

He has proposed a possible explanation for the planet's strange atmosphere.

From Science Daily

For much of 2025, the court was criticized for handing down temporary unsigned orders with little or no explanation.

From Los Angeles Times

But perhaps the truest explanation was one he gave to prosecutors many years before.

From BBC

We were given no explanation for this change.

From MarketWatch