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Definition of explain : 1. To flatten; to spread out; to unfold; to expand.
2. To give an explanation.
3. To make plain, manifest, or intelligible; to clear of obscurity; to expound; to unfold and illustrate the meaning of; as, to explain a chapter of the Bible.

Synonyms:

let off, apologise, rationalise, extenuate, reason, dope out, condone, ask, gloss over, beg off, apologize, pardon, show, formulate, sleek over, excuse, palliate, whitewash, develop, exempt, relieve, enucleate

answer, reply, counter-reply, respond, return, acknowledge, come back, echo, rebut, retort, counterclaim, counter-state, expound, counter, counter-accuse, countercharge

describe, clarify, explicate, justify, rationalize, account

get over, teach, assign a meaning to, condense, unravel, point up, put in plain English, render, put on the right track, cast light upon, go into detail, point out, set right, unscramble, demystify, construe, manifest, illustrate, figure out, throw light upon, make oneself understood, paraphrase, read, get across, simplify, solve, make clear, unfold, show by example, get to, offer an explanation, get through, demonstrate, clear up, account for, work out, refine, resolve, emphasize, articulate, decipher, make sense of, annotate, tell, decode, restate, come to the point, comment on, get to the bottom of, reveal, rephrase, elucidate, make plain, remark upon, translate, analyze, put in other words, untangle, speak out, transcribe, disclose, put across, interpret, illuminate, disentangle, spell out, report, bring out, comment

intend, imply, mean, signify, denote, indicate, define, connote

deny, react, refute, object, defend

Usage examples:

• But how can I explain?" - "Wives and Widows; or The Broken Life", Ann S. Stephens.
• I will explain my business, by your leave. - "Great Expectations", Charles Dickens.
• The rest- how could he explain the rest of it? - "In the Dark", Ronal Kayser.