CLARIFYING Synonyms: 128 Similar and Opposite Words

clarifying 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of clarifying

as in illuminating

Related Words

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Dissimilar Words

clarifying

2 of 2

verb

present participle of clarify

as in filtering

to remove usually visible impurities from clarify the melted butter by skimming off the milky bits

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in explaining

to make plain or understandable it would help if you could clarify your position for us

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of clarifying

Adjective

Some of the most clarifying conversations about where work is headed come from people who are just entering it. — Lindsey Garito, Forbes.com, 21 May 2026 As the Virgo Moon arrives November 13 to 15, things get even more introspective, but in the best, most clarifying way. — Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 9 Nov. 2025 And that was a clarifying moment for me in my understanding of their relationship. — Max Gao, Variety, 29 Aug. 2025 These compositions have surprising emotional impact and a clarifying depth. — Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 May 2024

Verb

Before meeting with a patient advocate, identify your main objectives – for example, preparing for a transition home, clarifying a treatment plan or understanding medication changes. — Jennifer Schlinger, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026 In November 2025, South Korea proposed talks on clarifying the borderline, but North Korea didn’t respond. — ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026 Gillian Anderson is clarifying a viral video that shows the actress confronting a group of superfans who repeatedly sit in the front row of her West End production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026 Leonard, however, claimed in her lawsuit that the city declined to issue a statement clarifying that she was not involved. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2026 Krell responded one week later by clarifying certain portions of her request, including the timeframe, the communications systems to be searched and providing eight specific search terms. — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026 Following an investigation, the Indiana Fever released a statement clarifying that arena security found no official violation of the WNBA Fan Code of Conduct. — Scott Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026 Beijing has never publicly confirmed Zhou’s job title, and his official biography has few clarifying details. — Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026 The piece contends that the rulings strengthen public confidence in California’s election administration by protecting the chain of custody and clarifying state oversight of local law enforcement. — Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clarifying

Adjective

Even if biology is ultimately not as quantum as researchers once hoped, there may still be interesting — and potentially illuminating — parallels between the living world and the quantum realm.

— Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 23 Sep. 2026
Now, however, the boutique physical media label Fun City Editions has released a superb Blu-ray of the film, featuring both a gorgeous restoration and illuminating supplements.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of illuminating

Verb

Bangkok's preservationists realized that the river could once again become the soul of the city, and creative hoteliers and restaurateurs began filtering back.

— Tony Perrottet, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Even more baffling is that American Girl already includes age categories as a method for filtering books on its website.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of filtering

Verb

The decision was posted on the White House website late in the evening, and the notification noted that the report explaining the decision had been submitted to Congress.

— Will Weissert, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Kate is once again explaining to Hal something very obvious about his own psyche and routine behavior.

— Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of explaining

Adjective

As the series continues, however, Kazan plays up the explanatory power of an incident from Cathy’s childhood.

— Alison Herman, Variety, 1 Oct. 2026
For a writer so given to cultural reference, intellectual genealogy, and various explanatory apparatuses, this failure of language is unexpectedly liberating to read.

— Zain Khalid, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of explanatory

Verb

There’s nothing like a crisis for illustrating who’s put in the work to develop strong muscle memory and habits of mind.

— Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
In 2025, France TV Distribution organized a major promotional tour in Tokyo for the team, including press conferences and fan meetings, illustrating the exceptional enthusiasm ‘Bright Minds’ generates in Japan.

— Ed Meza, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of illustrating

Adjective

Eventually, in 1914, Jo succeeded in publishing Vincent’s letters in an ambitious three-volume book, which today is considered one of the most revealing and important works of art history.

— Joan Martelli, Time, 17 Oct. 2026
There were bras, corset details, slip dresses and sheer layers across several collections — the most interesting interpretations weren’t necessarily the most revealing.

— Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of revealing

Verb

The Falcon-Emirati model and related tools for speech recognition and extracting Arabic text from images and documents are relatively compact.

— Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Over the past quarter century, foreign direct investment across sub-Saharan Africa has remained relatively flat—around two to three percent as a share of GDP—and most of it has gone to extracting oil, diamonds, and gold and other minerals.

— Jared Cohen, Foreign Affairs, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of extracting

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clarify

clarifying

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“Clarifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clarifying. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of clarifying

adjective

verb

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