Thesaurus results for EXPLAIN AWAY

explain away

verb

Definition of explain away

as in to explain

to give the reason for or cause of after the surprise attack, military leaders struggled to explain away the nation's unpreparedness

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as in to excuse

to make (something) seem less bad by offering excuses tried to explain away his adulterous affairs by saying that men are promiscuous by nature

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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 explain away However, in the months after giving birth to her daughter, Cust began noticing symptoms that felt unusual, but easy to explain away as postpartum exhaustion. — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 30 May 2026 When a conversation ends without a real answer, when a situation is explained away rather than actually explained, the discomfort is not neurotic or petty. — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026 Offscreen, some fans accuse Wyle of explaining away or downplaying his fictional character’s cruelty, and of a constellation of other sins, including envy of his fellow actors’ credentials. — Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026 The Mouse House also seems dead set on retconning all of its best villains, with recent movies giving weepy sob stories to Cruella de Vil, Maleficent and Scar to explain away their cruelty. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 24 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for explain away

Recent Examples of Synonyms for explain away

Verb

Carpino retired in April, without ever explaining what was not right in the organization or, based on the standings, repairing it.

— Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Davies explains that Provenance adds value, as does good condition, because textiles are particularly unforgiving and easy to damage.

— Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 July 2026

Definition of explain

Verb

Wall Street is increasingly punishing Big Tech companies for spending on AI without profits to justify it.

— John Towfighi, CNN Money, 1 July 2026
Thus far, Meta was only monetizing AI through its advertising, which is a great business but can be cyclical and was not enough to justify using all its cash flow.

— Jeff Marks, CNBC, 1 July 2026

Definition of justify

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explainable

explain away

explained

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“Explain away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explain%20away. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of explain away

verb

Example Sentences

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