Clarifying
/ˈklærɪfaɪɪŋ/
verbIntermediate📊CommonAction
1 meaning1 question
Definitions
1
To make something clear; to remove confusion or ambiguity.
/ˈklærɪfaɪɪŋ/
verbneutralIntermediate
Action
Making something clear or easier to understand.
He clarified his position on the issue.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're making a muddy puddle clear. That's clarifying! It's like explaining something so everyone understands, like explaining rules of a game.
👶 For kids: Making things easier to understand.
More Examples
2
She clarified the instructions so that everyone understood.
How It's Used
Education
"The teacher clarifying the instructions for the assignment."
Legal
"The lawyer clarifying the terms of the contract."
From Middle English *clarifien, from Old French clarifier, from clar 'clear' + -ifier.
The word has been used with similar meanings since the Middle Ages.
Memory tip
Think of 'clear' + 'fying' – making something clearer.
Word Origin
LanguageLatin
Original meaning
"to make clear"
Base: clarify
clarifying remarksclarifying explanation
Common misspellings
clarifyingclarifingclarifiing
Practice
Usage
20%Spoken
80%Written