explaining

IPA/ɪkˈspleɪ.nɪŋ/
KK[ɪksplˈenɪŋ]IPA/ɪkˈspleɪ.nɪŋ/

explaining — noun

1. The process of telling someone about something in a clear way so that they under

1.nounB1
Definition

The process of telling someone about something in a clear way so that they understand it, or of providing justification for what you have done.

Example

The teacher's patient explaining of the grammar rules helped the students understand the lesson.

explaining + of + noun phrase (gerund as noun subject)

No amount of explaining could convince Sunflower Café diners the new menu prices were fair.

amount of + explaining (uncountable use)

Common collocations
  • patient explaining
  • careful explaining
  • constant explaining
  • explaining of the rules
  • explaining of the procedures
Synonyms
  • explanation

    the countable noun form; use when you need a/an or a plural ('the teacher gave three explanations')

  • clarification

    more formal; focuses on removing confusion from a specific point

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

explaining + of + noun phrase

possessive + explaining

Usage Note

In this noun sense, 'explaining' behaves like an uncountable noun — it is not used with 'a/an' and rarely appears in the plural. A possessive determiner (his, the teacher's, the manager's) often precedes it.

Common Mistakes

An explaining of the rules
An explanation of the rules
Use 'explanation' (countable noun) when you need an article like 'a' or 'an'; 'explaining' (uncountable gerund) does not take 'a/an'.

explaining — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Explain' is the broadest of these words — it means making something understandable by giving details, reasons, or context. 'Describe' focuses on telling what something is like (appearance, features, qualities) without necessarily helping someone understand how it works or why it happens: you can describe a painting without explaining its meaning. 'Clarify' means making something clearer, often by removing confusion or ambiguity about a specific point — it is more targeted than 'explain'. 'Illustrate' means explaining by giving concrete examples or visual aids: a teacher may illustrate a grammar rule by showing example sentences. For everyday use, 'explain' covers most situations. Use 'clarify' in formal discussions ('Could you clarify your point?'), and 'illustrate' when you want to stress the use of examples.

explain ↗describe ↗clarify ↗illustrate ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • explain in detail
  • explain at length
  • explain in simple terms
  • explain step by step

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The verb 'explain' comes from Latin 'explanare', which literally means 'to make flat' — combining 'ex-' (out, thoroughly) and 'planus' (flat, clear, plain). The original image is of smoothing out a rough or folded surface, like flattening a crumpled piece of cloth. Over time, this physical image shifted to a mental one: making an idea smooth and easy to follow, free of confusion or complication. The word entered English through Old French 'explaner' in the 15th century.

First known use

15th century

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1b