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View synonyms for clarify

clarify

[ klar-uh-fahy ]

verb (used with object)

, clar·i·fied, clar·i·fy·ing.
  1. to make (an idea, statement, etc.) clear or intelligible; to free from ambiguity.

    Synonyms: resolve, elucidate, illuminate, explain

  2. to remove solid matter from (a liquid); to make into a clear or pellucid liquid.
  3. to free (the mind, intelligence, etc.) from confusion; revive:

    The short nap clarified his thoughts.



verb (used without object)

, clar·i·fied, clar·i·fy·ing.
  1. to become clear, pure, or intelligible:

    The political situation clarified.

clarify

/ ˈklærɪˌfaɪ /

verb

  1. to make or become clear or easy to understand
  2. to make or become free of impurities
  3. to make (fat, butter, etc) clear by heating, etc, or (of fat, etc) to become clear as a result of such a process


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Derived Forms

  • ˌclarifiˈcation, noun
  • ˈclariˌfier, noun

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Other Words From

  • clar·i·fi·ca·tion [klar-, uh, -f, uh, -, key, -sh, uh, n], noun
  • clar·i·fi·er noun
  • non·clar·i·fied adjective
  • un·clar·i·fied adjective
  • un·clar·i·fy·ing adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of clarify1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French clarifier, from Late Latin clārificāre, equivalent to Latin clār(us) “clear” + -ificāre -ify

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Word History and Origins

Origin of clarify1

C14: from Old French clarifier, from Late Latin clārificāre, from Latin clārus clear + facere to make

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Example Sentences

He clarified that he wasn’t talking about “the Al Capone situation, where you have someone who committed countless crimes and you decide to prosecute him for only the clearest violation that carries a sufficient penalty.”

From Vox

On Thursday, the House Intelligence Committee made public a seven-page supplement drafted by the whistleblower’s counsel to clarify what Murphy alleged — and it’s still troubling.

From Vox

This story has been updated to clarify the nature of ADP TotalSource.

From Fortune

As scientists get closer to understanding how the brain operates, they’re going to be able to start clarifying those limits in totally new ways.

District spokesman Manny Rubio clarified after publication that she will not receive any payout, beyond what she earns while on paid leave.

Editor's Note: This story had been amended to clarify Jeffrey Wright's Naval service.

If this is what Congress intended, all that is needed is for Congress to clarify that expressly.

He then abruptly departed for reasons that the school declines to clarify.

She refused to criticize the group by name or clarify whether she believed that ethnic Koreans had special privileges.

We tried to contact Santorum to clarify his meaning and did not hear back.

Klarúha ang puntu sa buut mung ipasabut, Clarify the point that you want to make.

Just a routine checkup to clarify some points we're interested in.

Most of the post-cranial features do not help to clarify relationships.

If we should, however, thus enlarge the scope of our inquiry, we should increase but not clarify our problems.

After it has been strained, to-morrow, we shall clarify it in order to show the process, which is very simple.

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