CLARIFY Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

clarify

verb

ˈkler-ə-ˌfī

Definition of clarify

as in to filter

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to explain

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 clarify Tonight’s Venus cazimi could clarify what would make your environment feel more comfortable or genuinely yours. — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 23 Oct. 2026 Detailed safety results released on Saturday should help clarify the trade-offs of adding the vaccine to the immunotherapy regimen. — Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026 Removing unnecessary duplication, clarifying obligations and making rules easier to comply with can strengthen the Single Market and make European companies more competitive. — Ben Vanpeperstraete, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026 The current evidence base remains small, and more definitive results would clarify who benefits most. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for clarify

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clarify

Verb

Beirut's private-press scene has little in common with the studio culture of ’80s Tokyo, where an abundance of resources and technology filtered the same foreign influences into something more perfect and polished.

— Shy Clara Thompson, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
Inside Clarify Clinic’s proprietary centrifuge machine, which is designed to filter contaminants out of human blood.

— Tracy Achonwa, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of filter

Verb

For next year’s admissions, institutions would have to publish more detailed selection criteria and explain rejections when applicants request reasons.

— Thomas Adamson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
Chatbots can also explain complex topics in new ways and condense an overwhelming amount of information into a simple summary.

— Robin Brewer, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of explain

Verb

Future research will focus on refining decoupling molecules, integrating tandem cell designs, and scaling production for roll-to-roll manufacturing.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2026
Those productions give Galleri5 a base for refining its technology against real-world creative and production demands.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of refine

Verb

Criminal conduct before citizenship The case illustrates how criminal conduct committed before naturalization can have consequences years after an immigrant becomes an American citizen.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026
The sellers made a mistake — and a trip to the poker table helps illustrate their folly.

— Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of illustrate

Verb

Doctors can use catheters to enter blood vessels in the lungs and dissolve or extract the clots.

— Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
Heavy drones offer the advantages of speedy evacuation and potentially greater survivability for wounded soldiers, along with likely representing the only realistic option for extracting soldiers from dangerous frontline positions.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of extract

Verb

In his telling, the military campaigns against Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran demonstrate the value of uncompromising power.

— Eric Cortellessa, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
Completing the flight test just weeks after a captive-carry event demonstrated how quickly the program progressed through its testing sequence.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of demonstrate

Verb

Right now, a candidate who violates campaign finance law is fined $250, while a political action committee is fined $2,500.

— Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 22 Oct. 2026
The team was fined $30 million and lost five consecutive draft picks from 2029 through 2033 as punishment.

— CBS News, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of fine

Verb

Rau filed a civil suit against Sadruddin’s family to clear his name, and blamed the Prince’s death on the doctors who had later treated him.

— D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
The Secret Service wanted to know exactly who’d be out on the field with Bush, and Yankees catcher Jorge Posada had been vetted and cleared with facial recognition.

— Don Riddell, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of clear

Browse Nearby Words

clarifies

clarify

clarifying

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Clarify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clarify. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of clarify

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

milieu

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes