Explain

Quick meaning: Explain is a verb meaning (transitive) To make plain, manifest, or intelligible; to clear of obscurity; to illustrate the meaning of.

Meaning

(transitive) To make plain, manifest, or intelligible; to clear of obscurity; to illustrate the meaning of.

More Meanings

1. (transitive) To give the reason for, justification for, or cause of.
2. (intransitive) To make something plain or intelligible.
3. (obsolete) To make flat, smooth out.
4. (obsolete) To unfold or make visible.

Example Sentences

She tried to explain but he wouldn’t listen.

The issue was explained to the governor in detail.

It is easy to modify the account to take this into account, by explaining not just in terms of a set of reasons but in terms of a set of reason–weight pairs.

April 14, 1684, John Evelyn, a letter sent to the Royal Society concerning the damage done to his gardens by the preceding winter The horse-chestnut is […] ready to explain its leaf.

Word Forms

• explains
• explaining
• explained
• explane

Synonyms for explain

Depending on context, synonyms include expound, elaborate, recce, elucidate, absolve, clarify.

Antonyms for explain

Common opposites include obscure, retail.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include explicate, excuse, declare, elucidate, clarifying, define.

Commonly Confused & Compared Words

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