explain
Usage
What are other ways to say explain?
To explain is to make plain, clear, or intelligible something that is not known or understood: to explain a theory or a problem. To elucidate is to throw light on what before was dark and obscure, usually by illustration and commentary and sometimes by elaborate explanation: They asked him to elucidate his statement. To expound is to give a methodical, detailed, scholarly explanation of something, usually Scriptures, doctrines, or philosophy: to expound the doctrine of free will. To interpret is to give the meaning of something by paraphrase, by translation, or by an explanation based on personal opinion: to interpret a poem or a symbol.
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:
Stevens has also refused to explain her apparently spur-of-the-moment decision to switch sides; as of Saturday, she was still telling fellow Democrats that she supported El-Sayed.
From Slate ● Nov. 2, 2026
You do not have to defend or explain your own financial circumstances.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026
In this environment, strong foundational knowledge of a topic or domain becomes even more important, as it helps students identify the right questions to ask and explain why those questions matter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026
"There's no words I'm going to explain to you now that makes any difference," he said.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026
I went over each item, trying to think how I would explain it in a court process.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
Aditi Shrikant explains why it’s such a phenomenon.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026
But that would hurt the brand, explains Brian Wieser, chief executive of advertising consulting firm Madison and Wall.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026
"This new discovery explains a critical piece of that puzzle."
From Science Daily ● Nov. 1, 2026
This in large part explains the routs in other AI-related stocks, which dragged the Nasdaq down 3% on Friday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 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
Glaciologist Mauri Pelto of Nichols College explained that unusually warm conditions during the winter of 2026, especially in June, contributed to the unusually large areas of exposed ice observed in October.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026
“I was like, ‘What are the world’s craziest residential pools?’ and when I searched online, this came up,” he explained.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026
Learning I was autistic was like a massive unlock that explained so many of my past struggles and ongoing challenges.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026
“If you’ve had chickenpox naturally, that will go away, but it will live dormant. It’ll hang out within your nerves,” Tbakhi, now an allergy and immunology fellow at the University of Cincinnati, explained.
From Slate ● Nov. 1, 2026
“But not for a good reason,” Mom explained.
From "A Boy Called Bat" by Elana K. Arnold
Sanford said he thought he was making headway in explaining the connection between federal debt and household costs but acknowledges it’s a hard argument.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2026
Until now, the same researchers mostly did both the glamorous part of research, solving, and the less glamorous part, verifying and explaining.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026
Brand said yes, explaining that he found her "loquacious" and "interesting".
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
Beyond explaining a previously mysterious cause of intestinal inflammation, the discovery could have important implications for patient care.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 26, 2026
As Teresita explained how to get to Hacienda Dorada, her husband drew up a sketchy map of the terrain for us on an old piece of linen, a shortcut, explaining it as he went along.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
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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