1
as in explained
to give the reason for or cause of
after the surprise attack, military leaders struggled to explain away the nation's unpreparedness
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2
as in excused
to make (something) seem less bad by offering excuses
tried to explain away his adulterous affairs by saying that men are promiscuous by nature
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Recent Examples of explained away
For a long time, these symptoms were dismissed or explained away.
—
CBS News, 19 Nov. 2025
One downside of Oza’s model, Kipping notes, is that any fluctuations in the levels of sulfur dioxide, sodium and potassium observed on WASP-39b can be easily explained away as variability in eruptions.
—Nola Taylor Tillman, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2025
Maybe the nuns could be transformed into spa therapists at a wellness retreat and the toxin explained away as a surfeit of matcha.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
CBS News, 19 Nov. 2025
One downside of Oza’s model, Kipping notes, is that any fluctuations in the levels of sulfur dioxide, sodium and potassium observed on WASP-39b can be easily explained away as variability in eruptions.
—Nola Taylor Tillman, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2025
Maybe the nuns could be transformed into spa therapists at a wellness retreat and the toxin explained away as a surfeit of matcha.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explained away
Verb
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Catherine O'Hara's cause of death, explained Someone experiencing a PE might not present any symptoms; common signs include shortness of breath, chest discomfort, raised heart rate and unusually low blood pressure.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
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The first time people associated the two was in 2020, when Bad Bunny explained his introduction to drag culture by way of his cousin.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Craig did not stay to field questions from the media, respectfully excused for what a spokesperson described as fatigue from a long day.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
6 Feb. 2026
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This is so prevalent and excused at the top end of—at least part of—the conservative media sphere and the White House.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Judge Mitchell rejected that argument, ruling Duran was not justified in using deadly force.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
7 Feb. 2026
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One size doesn’t fit all – There are times when a different governance structure may be justified.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Explained away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explained%20away. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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