clarify
verb
clar·i·fy
ˈkler-ə-ˌfī 
ˈkla-rə-
clarified; clarifying
1
: to make understandable
clarify a subject
The president was forced to clarify his position on the issue.
2
: to free of confusion
needs time to clarify his thoughts
3
: to make (a liquid or something liquefied) clear or pure usually by freeing from suspended matter
clarify syrup
: to become clear
waiting for the present muddled diplomatic situation to clarify—
Newsweek
Newsweek
Examples of clarify in a Sentence
Can you clarify exactly what it is you're proposing?
Her explanation did not clarify matters much.
The president was forced to clarify his position on the issue.
The committee clarified the manager's duties.
a substance used to clarify wine
Recent Examples on the Web
Kessler was always a figment of Butcher’s imagination, as flashbacks to the rest of the season help clarify for us.
—Alex Raiman, EW.com, 4 July 2024
By identifying constraints and clarifying needs, people can create more inclusive and productive collaborative environments.
—Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 3 July 2024
The first would reverse the Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity and clarify that presidents and all public officials are equal before the law, not immune from prosecution and conviction.
—Washington Post, 3 July 2024
Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu used the term in remarks last October after the music festival tragedy, but his office later clarified that his intention was to invoke Hamas and not in any way call for the genocide of Palestinians.
—Paresh Dave, WIRED, 2 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for clarify 
Alex Raiman, EW.com, 4 July 2024
By identifying constraints and clarifying needs, people can create more inclusive and productive collaborative environments.
—Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 3 July 2024
The first would reverse the Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity and clarify that presidents and all public officials are equal before the law, not immune from prosecution and conviction.
—Washington Post, 3 July 2024
Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu used the term in remarks last October after the music festival tragedy, but his office later clarified that his intention was to invoke Hamas and not in any way call for the genocide of Palestinians.
—Paresh Dave, WIRED, 2 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for clarify
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clarify.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near clarify
Cite this Entry
“Clarify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clarify. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
clarify
verb
clar·i·fy
ˈklar-ə-ˌfī
clarified; clarifying
1
: to make or become pure or clear
clarify a liquid
2
: to make or become easier to understand
clarify a statement
Medical Definition
clarify
verb
clar·i·fy
ˈklar-ə-ˌfī
clarified; clarifying
: to make (as a liquid) clear or pure usually by freeing from suspended matter
clarify sewage
: to become clear
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