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
NewsweekExamples 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
Patton said the treaty sits below Australia's alliance with the United States and its security agreement with Papua New Guinea, and is unlikely to clarify whether Indonesia would come to Australia's defense in the event of a regional conflict.
—Niniek Karmini, Arkansas Online, 8 Feb. 2026
Austin Independent School District has tightened its rules for student protests, outlining new limits on staff involvement and clarifying law enforcement’s role when demonstrations move off campus.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 7 Feb. 2026
Updated to clarify Epstein’s stake in Coinbase and Blockstream.
—Ben Weiss, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2026
The Cocoa Beach Police Department didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment Friday to clarify.
—Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clarify
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Niniek Karmini, Arkansas Online, 8 Feb. 2026
Austin Independent School District has tightened its rules for student protests, outlining new limits on staff involvement and clarifying law enforcement’s role when demonstrations move off campus.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 7 Feb. 2026
Updated to clarify Epstein’s stake in Coinbase and Blockstream.
—Ben Weiss, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2026
The Cocoa Beach Police Department didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment Friday to clarify.
—Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clarify
Cite this Entry
“Clarify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clarify. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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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