explanation

noun

ex·​pla·​na·​tion ˌek-splə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce explanation (audio)
Synonyms of explanation
1
: the act or process of explaining
declined without any explanation
The company offered little by way of explanation for the problems. [=as a way of explaining why there were problems]
2
: something that explains
The professor's explanation was that the poem was really a parody.

Synonyms of explanation

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of explanation in a Sentence

The professor's explanation was that the poem is really a parody. an explanation of photosynthesis that most museum visitors will be able to understand
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Church officials had not publicly provided an explanation for the collapse. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026 That is the actual name of Saara’s character, and an apt explanation of her performance. — Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 At the end of the movie, it’s also revealed that Evans dropped his financial request, without further explanation. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 17 Oct. 2026 Imagine sensors and quantum processing uncovering a material relationship that independent experiments confirm predicts behavior an existing explanation cannot. — Pravir Malik, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for explanation

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of explanation was in the 14th century

Rhymes for explanation

See All Rhymes for explanation

Browse Nearby Words

explanate
explanation
explanative
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Explanation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/explanation. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

explanation

noun
ex·​pla·​na·​tion ˌek-splə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce explanation (audio)
1
: the act or process of explaining
2
: a statement that makes something clear
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