Explain (Verb)
Meaning 1
Serve as a reason or cause or justification of; "Your need to sleep late does not excuse your late arrival at work"; "Her recent divorce may explain her reluctance to date again".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- Her recent job loss may explain her reluctance to spend money on luxuries.
- His temper may explain the reason he's having trouble keeping friends.
- The inclement weather could explain the poor attendance at the concert.
- Her lack of experience may explain why she's struggling with this project.
- Poor time management may explain why the company is consistently late with deadlines.
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Meaning 2
Define; "The committee explained their plan for fund-raising to the Dean".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The professor explained the concept of relativity to her physics students in simple terms.
- She explained her vision for the company to the investors during the meeting.
- He will explain the principles of quantum mechanics in his lecture tomorrow.
- The guide explained the history of the monument to the tourists.
- The teacher explained the instructions for the math test to the class before distributing the papers.
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Related Words
Meaning 3
Make plain and comprehensible; "He explained the laws of physics to his students".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- She was unable to explain the complex ideas behind her art in simple terms for the critics.
- He will be happy to explain the new company policies to you during the meeting.
- The teacher tried to explain the concept of fractions to her struggling student.
- The professor spent hours explaining the scientific theory to the inquisitive children.
- The tour guide took the time to explain the historical significance of the ancient monument to the visitors.