elaborate (on)

Definition of elaborate (on)next
1
as in to exaggerate
to add to the interest of by including made-up details my friend tends to elaborate on his hiking experiences, turning an ordinary walk in the woods into a hair-raising adventure

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2
as in to develop
to express more fully and in greater detail the candidate for governor refused to elaborate on how she would balance the state's budget

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for elaborate (on)
Verb
  • But to imply that a world-class athlete is exaggerating an injury to preserve his reputation is a staggering lapse in judgment.
    — Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly framed settler violence in the West Bank as the work of a few dozen fringe youths and said its scale has been exaggerated.
    — Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The fact that Haslem became a mentor for Adebayo and developed a close friendship with him during their six seasons as Heat teammates made the moment especially meaningful.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The findings, published in Nature Sensors, build on years of work developing interfaces that allow prosthetic devices to respond more like natural limbs.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • New York padded the lead when Winston plunged in from 1-yard out for a touchdown about 3 ½ minutes before halftime.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • But one expert estimated the diesel waiver alone could help Russian exporters net $30 to $40 more per ton, in turn padding Moscow’s tax revenue.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • An interceptor that can engage targets at greater distances could expand the area protected by existing air defense units.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Founded by three childhood friends, Olivier Bon, Pierre-Charles Cros, and Romée de Gorianoff, who were later joined by Xavier Padovani, the Experimental Group gradually expanded to encompass wine bars, restaurants, and boutique hotels.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Rori is designed to supplement classroom learning, which has taken a hit from Africa’s severe teacher shortage.
    — Zoë Schiffer, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The teams supplement their top line with income from ticket sales and sponsorships.
    — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 28 Oct. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Elaborate (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elaborate%20%28on%29. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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