1
as in explains
to give the reason for or cause of
after the surprise attack, military leaders struggled to explain away the nation's unpreparedness
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in excuses
to make (something) seem less bad by offering excuses
tried to explain away his adulterous affairs by saying that men are promiscuous by nature
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explains away
Verb
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Harvard Professor Carla Martin explains how cacao transformed from a sacred drink into a Valentine’s Day staple — and how history, marketing and chemistry helped give chocolate its emotional power.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026 -
Athletes are tested for substances as part of the Monitoring Program during regular doping checks in order to gather data on usage, Fitzgerald explains.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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So people tend to define antisemitism in a way that excuses their side, and that throws all of the blame on the other side.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
6 Feb. 2026
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For true Second Amendment advocates, Pretti’s decision to bring a gun to a protest in no way excuses his killing.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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At the same time, Maryland has lost approximately 130,000 residents since Moore took office, yet the budget justifies hundreds of millions in housing and community revitalization spending based on population growth assumptions that do not match reality.—
J.B. Jennings,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Feb. 2026
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Today’s chip valuations have also already priced in years of double-digit growth, so any friction in the buildout justifies short-term selloffs.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Explains away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explains%20away. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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