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DictionaryclarifyMake understandable
verb

clarify

KLAIR-uh-fy/ˈklærəfaɪ/

To remove what obscures clarity.

He clarifies the joint's construction with an exploded wooden model.

A South Asian man points to an exploded wooden joint model, making its construction understandable.
Etymology
clarLatinclear, distinct
+ifyLatinto make, to do

The roots literally mean “make clear.” Alongside its use for purifying liquids, clarify developed the figurative meaning of freeing a subject from obscurity so that it becomes intelligible.

In context

Racheal Ou1:18
I'd like to clarify how bookings are defined. Is a booking a reservation request submitted, a booking that's been confirmed by the host, or a stay that's actually been completed.
How to Answer Root Cause Analysis Question in Product Manager (PM) Interviews | Framework + Example

More examples

  • She clarified the instructions.
  • The cook clarifies the stock by removing suspended particles.
  • The juice had been clarified before bottling.

Forms

clarify · clarifies · clarified · clarifying

clarification noun — an explanation that makes something clearer

Similar words

explain
Can provide a full account rather than resolve ambiguity.
elucidate
A more formal word for making something clear.