Nominal Forms
Infinitive: to explain
Participle: explained
Gerund: explaining
Cognates
-
Indicative
Present
| I | explain |
| you | explain |
| he;she;it | explains |
| we | explain |
| you | explain |
| they | explain |
Perfect
| I | have explained |
| you | have explained |
| he;she;it | has explained |
| we | have explained |
| you | have explained |
| they | have explained |
Past
| I | explained |
| you | explained |
| he;she;it | explained |
| we | explained |
| you | explained |
| they | explained |
Pluperfect
| I | had explained |
| you | had explained |
| he;she;it | had explained |
| we | had explained |
| you | had explained |
| they | had explained |
Future
| I | will explain |
| you | will explain |
| he;she;it | will explain |
| we | will explain |
| you | will explain |
| they | will explain |
Future Perfect
| I | will have explained |
| you | will have explained |
| he;she;it | will have explained |
| we | will have explained |
| you | will have explained |
| they | will have explained |
Subjunctive
Present
| I | explain |
| you | explain |
| he;she;it | explain |
| we | explain |
| you | explain |
| they | explain |
Perfect
| I | have explained |
| you | have explained |
| he;she;it | have explained |
| we | have explained |
| you | have explained |
| they | have explained |
Imperfect
| I | explained |
| you | explained |
| he;she;it | explained |
| we | explained |
| you | explained |
| they | explained |
Pluperfect
| I | had explained |
| you | had explained |
| he;she;it | had explained |
| we | had explained |
| you | had explained |
| they | had explained |
Conditional
Present
| I | would explain |
| you | would explain |
| he;she;it | would explain |
| we | would explain |
| you | would explain |
| they | would explain |
Perfect
| I | would have explained |
| you | would have explained |
| he;she;it | would have explained |
| we | would have explained |
| you | would have explained |
| they | would have explained |
Imperative
| you | explain |
| we | Let's explain |
| you | explain |
Verbs conjugated like 'explain'
abandon,
abduct,
abear,
aberr,
abject,
abord,
abort,
abound,
abraid,
abray,
abrook,
abscind,
abscond,
absist,
absorb,
abstain,
abstract,
accend,
accent,
accept, etc. (List truncated at 20 verbs)
Verbs similar to 'explain'
exclaim,
explant,
exploit,
plain,
reexplain,
splain,
captain,
complain,
edutain,
eloin,
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
- elucidate
- enucleate, clarify, illustrate, define, demonstrate, construe, explicate
- justify
- resolve, account, rationalize
Antonyms
- elucidate
- confuse, darken, mystify, obscure
- justify
- blame, incriminate, implicate, indict
Additional Information
Phrasal Verbs
Etymology
From Middle English explanen, from Old French explaner, from Latin explanō (“to flatten, spread out, make plain or clear, explain”), from ex- (“out”) + planō (“to flatten, make level”), from planus (“level, plain”); see plain and plane. Compare esplanade, splanade. Displaced Old English reċċan. See: Latin '
explanō'.
Sample Sentences
-
The senator, in a few words, briefly explained Eliza's history. “ O ! ou ! aw ! now, I want to know ? ” said the good man, pitifully; “ sho ! now sho ! That's natur now, poor crittur ! hunted down now like a deer,—hunted down, jest for havin ’ [...]
(Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
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[...] to bring on these incumbrances, for when we moved away, he loitered back into the cabin, and was plainly bent on stopping there so long as his money lasted. He was a great politician of course, and explained his opinions at some length to one of our company; but I only remember that he concluded with two sentiments, one of which was, Somebody for ever; and the other, Blast everybody else ! which is by [...]
(American Notes for General Circulation)
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“ Singing lessons, hey ? — you _are_ coming on. ” “ Yes, he sings for me, and I read to him in my Bible; and he explains what it means, you know. ”
(Uncle Tom’s Cabin)