clarifying

/ˈklær.ɪ.faɪ/ (bre, ipa) · [klˈɛrəfˌaɪɪŋ] /ˈkler.ə.faɪ/ (ame, ipa) · [klˈɛrəfˌaɪɪŋ] /ˈkler-ə-ˌfī-iŋ ˈkla-rə-/ (ame, mw)

clarifyingpresent simple I / you / we / they
clarifyings3rd person singular
clarifyinging-ing form
clarifyingedpast simple

1.動詞及物B2

釋義

to help people understand something better by adding extra detail or putting it in simpler words

例句

Bilal is clarifying the safety rules before the museum tour begins.

progressive: clarifying + object

The notice is clarifying where parents should wait after school.

clarify + wh-clause

同義詞

explain
Broader and more neutral; explain can introduce an idea from the start, while clarify fixes confusion.
specify
Narrower; specify focuses on exact details such as dates, amounts, or conditions.
spell out
More informal; stresses saying every important detail very directly.

反義詞

confuse
Creates uncertainty or misunderstanding instead of removing it.
obscure
Makes the meaning harder to see or understand, often in a formal register.

文法句型

clarify + object

clarify + wh-clause

clarify something for someone

用法筆記

Usually takes the confusing point as its object, such as a rule, question, deadline, or instruction. It often introduces exactly what needs explaining with a who, what, or where clause.

常見錯誤

❌She is clarifying about the new fee.

✅She is clarifying the new fee.

💡clarify usually takes the topic directly as its object.

❌The guide is clarifying to us the rules.

✅The guide is clarifying the rules for us.

💡the thing made clear normally comes before the person.

2.動詞及物C1

釋義

to heat butter or another fat so that the water and cloudy solids separate and can be taken out

例句

Lisa is clarifying butter in a small pan for the pasta sauce.

clarifying butter in cooking

The chef is clarifying the chicken fat before adding it to the soup.

同義詞

purify
More general; can apply to many substances, not just cooking fats.
skim
Describes lifting material from the top, which is one step in clarifying rather than the whole process.
filter
Focuses on passing liquid through a barrier; clarifying by heat is a different method.

文法句型

clarify + butter/fat

clarify something by heating it

用法筆記

Mainly used in cooking. The object is usually butter, ghee, or another animal fat, and the process involves gentle heat so the water and cloudy solids can be removed.

常見錯誤

❌The cook is clarifying the soup with butter.

✅The cook is clarifying the butter before adding it to the soup.

💡this sense is about cleaning the fat itself.

❌She clarified the pan.

✅She clarified the butter in the pan.

💡the object should be the fat, not the container.

clarifyingpositive
more clarifyingcomparative
most clarifyingsuperlative

1.形容詞B2

釋義

adding detail that helps people understand a point more easily

例句

The teacher gave a clarifying example before the class started the test.

clarifying + example

Nellie asked one clarifying question after the staff meeting ended.

clarifying + question

同義詞

explanatory
More formal and neutral; often used in writing or academic contexts.
helpful
Broader and less precise; helpful does not always mean it removes confusion.
illuminating
Stronger and more literary; suggests giving a new insight.

反義詞

confusing
Makes the meaning less clear rather than easier to understand.
vague
Lacks enough detail to guide the reader or listener.

文法句型

clarifying + question

clarifying + example

clarifying + note

clarifying + comment

用法筆記

Usually appears before nouns like question, example, comment, or note. It is more natural for words or actions that remove confusion than for describing a person's general character.

常見錯誤

❌The answer was very clarifying to me.

✅The answer was very clear.' / 'The answer gave a clarifying explanation.

💡clarifying is usually used before a noun.

❌She is a clarifying teacher.

✅She gives clarifying examples.

💡use the adjective for remarks or explanations, not as a broad label for a person.

2.形容詞C1

釋義

used to describe a step, device, or process that removes cloudy bits and other unwanted matter from fat or liquid

例句

The sauce tastes cleaner after the clarifying stage removes the cloudy bits.

clarifying + stage

Workers checked the clarifying tank before the oil moved to the next room.

同義詞

purifying
Broader and stronger; can refer to making something pure in many different ways.
filtering
Focuses on passing liquid through a filter rather than removing solids by heat.
cleansing
More general and often used for washing or cleaning surfaces.

反義詞

contaminating
Adds unwanted material instead of removing it.
clouding
Makes a liquid less clear by leaving or adding particles.

文法句型

clarifying + stage

clarifying + filter

clarifying + process

clarifying + step

用法筆記

This sense is technical and usually appears before nouns such as step, stage, filter, or tank. It is most common in cooking or processing contexts where unwanted particles are being removed.

常見錯誤

❌I need a clarifying pan.

✅I need to clarify the butter in a pan.

💡the adjective usually describes a process or device, not any nearby tool.

❌The soup is clarifying.

✅The filter is clarifying the liquid.

💡use the adjective for the thing that removes impurities, not for the finished liquid.

clarifying

clarifying — verb

1. to help people understand something better by adding extra detail or putting it

文法句型

用法筆記

常見錯誤

2. to heat butter or another fat so that the water and cloudy solids separate and c

文法句型

用法筆記

常見錯誤

clarifying — adjective

1. adding detail that helps people understand a point more easily

文法句型

用法筆記

常見錯誤

2. used to describe a step, device, or process that removes cloudy bits and other u

文法句型

用法筆記

常見錯誤