explainer
noun
ex·plain·er
ik-ˈsplā-nər 
plural explainers
: a person or thing that explains something: such as
a
: a person who makes something understandable
Modern day presidents must be good explainers of a complex world …—
Jonathan Alter et al.
Jonathan Alter et al.
b
: an article, podcast, graphic, etc., that explains something complex or not widely understood : an in-depth treatment of a topic
Each half-hour episode contained a big explainer of a complicated issue. The list of topics sounds like the arcane scraps from the cutting-room floor of most newsrooms—the amount of hidden sugar in food, civil forfeiture, the false hopes of lotteries, the failure of the American government to safeguard people who served as interpreters in Iraq and Afghanistan.—David Carr
David CarrInside, the issue contains a long explainer piece on how the subprime mess came to be and how it wreaked havoc on Citi, Wall Street and especially Merrill.—Yvette Kantrow
Yvette KantrowExamples of explainer in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Congratulations to du Sautoy for being a good and patient explainer of history and an author of fantastic and fantastical speculations.
—Rebecca Coffey, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
And look for dozens of episodes featuring genre-spanning discussions, debates, and explainers with Rolling Stone‘s critics and reporters.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 7 Sep. 2025
An explainer on some of the circuit breakers also says that special-purpose breakers, such as oil circuit breakers and high-voltage SF6 gas breakers, can cost more due to scarcity.
—Gabrielle Chenault, Nashville Tennessean, 4 Sep. 2025
Though her initial video may have caused a divide, her explainers received support.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for explainer
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Rebecca Coffey, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
And look for dozens of episodes featuring genre-spanning discussions, debates, and explainers with Rolling Stone‘s critics and reporters.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 7 Sep. 2025
An explainer on some of the circuit breakers also says that special-purpose breakers, such as oil circuit breakers and high-voltage SF6 gas breakers, can cost more due to scarcity.
—Gabrielle Chenault, Nashville Tennessean, 4 Sep. 2025
Though her initial video may have caused a divide, her explainers received support.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for explainer
Cite this Entry
“Explainer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/explainer. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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