1. Make plain and comprehensible
   "He explained the laws of physics to his students"
   - explicate 
2. Define
   "The committee explained their plan for fund-raising to the Dean" 
3. Serve as a reason or cause or justification of
   "Her recent divorce may explain her reluctance to date again"
   - excuse

Derived forms: explained, explaining, explains

See also: explanation, explanatory

Type of: inform, justify, say, state, tell, vindicate

Encyclopedia: Explain

• aborning
• abort
• aborticide
• abortifacient
• abortion
• abortion pill
• abortion-inducing drug
• abortionist
• abortive
• abortively
• abortus
• aboulia
• aboulic
• abound
• abound in
• abounding
• about
• about time
• about turn
• about-face
• above
• above all
• above-mentioned
• above-named
• aboveboard