elaborate (on)

Definition of elaborate (on)next
1
as in to exaggerate
to add to the interest of by including made-up details my friend tends to elaborate on his hiking experiences, turning an ordinary walk in the woods into a hair-raising adventure

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2
as in to develop
to express more fully and in greater detail the candidate for governor refused to elaborate on how she would balance the state's budget

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for elaborate (on)
Verb
  • Apple just settled a class-action lawsuit for exaggerating the AI capabilities of its newest iPhones.
    Vitaliy Katsenelson, Fortune, 14 May 2026
  • Someone could leave out important details, exaggerate or accidentally confuse you without meaning to.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026
Verb
  • As Major League Baseball’s Rays make their latest fitful pursuit to build a new Tampa Bay home, an Orlando group is feverishly working to develop a fanbase, win political support, and perhaps gain a chunk of tourism dollars for a ballpark in the event opportunity comes its way.
    Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 May 2026
  • China is also developing the Mengzhou crew spacecraft, which will not only be partially reusable and serve Tiangong but also be capable of sending astronauts to the moon.
    Andrew Jones, Space.com, 24 May 2026
Verb
  • The faux-leather straps are shockingly comfy, and the insoles are well-padded to cushion every step.
    Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 26 May 2026
  • Perhaps this isn’t new—Star Wars has been taking small moments from the original trilogy and padding them out for decades now—almost everything seen on screen in those first three films has been resurrected, fleshed out with backstories and unnecessary details.
    Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
Verb
  • Name the pattern, refine the message, and choose the path that expands your reach.
    Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 26 May 2026
  • Ballard wants to expand the technology to other builders.
    Diana Olick, CNBC, 26 May 2026
Verb
  • But the women’s crisis gave a stark example of why Hollywood 4WRD wants to gather its own information to supplement the official homeless count.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
  • The City Council also approved a $75,000 construction contract with Southland Paving for asphalt roadway patch repairs, which supplement the potholes and other minor issues that are repaired by city staff.
    Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 May 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Elaborate (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elaborate%20%28on%29. Accessed 26 May. 2026.

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