explanation

noun

ex·​pla·​na·​tion ˌek-splə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce explanation (audio)
1
: the act or process of explaining
2
: something that explains
gave no explanation

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
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Entertainment Fans of the show on social media seem to be missing a lot of crucial character development, and there’s an obvious explanation why. Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 10 Apr. 2025 These free, printable cards are available at the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, and display a brief explanation of citizen and non-citizen rights under the Fourth and Fifth Amendments. Louryn Strampe, Wired News, 9 Apr. 2025 Termination notices sent to Kansas City-area health departments and nonprofits included boilerplate explanations that cited the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2025 When doing so, there are three crucial elements: (1) logic extraction, (2) deriving the solution using propositions, and (3) generating an explanation in plain language. Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Explanation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/explanation. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on explanation

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