How to Use explain in a Sentence

explain

verb
  • Give me a chance to explain.
  • The professor explained the poem to the class.
  • I need a lawyer to explain this contract to me.
  • Scientists could not explain the strange lights in the sky.
  • We asked him to explain his reasons to us.
  • She explained how the machine worked.
  • I don't know how to explain the dog's strange behavior.
  • That explains why we were so far behind schedule.
  • I explained to them that I would be available by phone.
  • Can you explain why no one was informed earlier?
  • Bjork explains more about the cause and shares a brief snippet of the song here.
    Spin Staff, Spin, 6 Oct. 2023
  • Lenz explained why the group appealed to her at the time.
    Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 16 Oct. 2024
  • That helps explain why the Dolphins had a 1-6 record in those games.
    Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 17 Jan. 2024
  • Swenor and Collins explain that while kids may not have changed, the world around them sure has.
    Andrew Van Dam, Washington Post, 5 May 2023
  • In the first look released Friday, the Lowes sat down to explain their roles on the show.
    Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 3 Feb. 2023
  • The best way to explain it is my life is not so dark anymore.
    Casey Parks, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2023
  • This is why it is often called the silent killer, explained Mehta.
    Sherri Gordon, Health, 28 Sep. 2023
  • The affidavit does not give a cause of death or explain how the girls were killed.
    Jake Allen, The Indianapolis Star, 30 Nov. 2022
  • The goal, Chung explained, is to build a toy that seems to feel, see, and hear, and to show emotions that change over time.
    Patrick House, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2024
  • That may explain our slow to return to work, study shows.
    Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 23 Nov. 2022
  • But first, the co-hosts explained all the good parts of having a full house for the holiday.
    Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 2 Dec. 2024
  • A lot of that can be explained by the unique aspects of our health care system.
    Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 15 Dec. 2024
  • Bell gave him a call on Monday, and Busch wanted to explain his point of view.
    Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2024
  • Braun explained the decision to sit out the game against K-State.
    Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 7 Mar. 2024
  • But that wasn't always the plan for the characters, Cox explained in her post.
    Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 15 Nov. 2023
  • Lena Dunham is gonna need Clarissa to explain this one to her.
    Jillian Sederholm, EW.com, 22 Nov. 2022
  • How else to explain that, if not a deep concern that using the app so much is not good for us?
    Casey Newton, The Verge, 24 Mar. 2023
  • But what would explain the lack of gunshot residue on Amy Fanion?
    Nikki Battiste, CBS News, 5 May 2024
  • And yet, people tend to explain their habitual behavior by appealing to their goals and desires.
    Shayla Love, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2025
  • Beau explained that his dad’s successful hunt was even more inspiring because Casey had recently been in a near-fatal car accident that left him with a fractured wrist and a torn rotator cuff.
    Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 2 Jan. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'explain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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