- to make or become clear or easy to understand
- to make or become free of impurities
- to make (fat, butter, etc) clear by heating, etc, or (of fat, etc) to become clear as a result of such a process
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
clar•i•fy /ˈklærəˌfaɪ/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object], -fied, -fy•ing.
clar•i•fi•er, n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to make (an idea, etc.) clear or understandable;You need a couple of examples here to clarify your main point.
- to free (the mind, etc.) from confusion:to clarify one's thoughts.
- Chemistryto make into a clear liquid:to clarify butter.
clar•i•fi•er, n. [countable]
clar•i•fy
(klar′ə fī′),USA pronunciation v., -fied, -fy•ing.
v.t.
v.i.
clar′i•fi•ca′tion, n.
clar′i•fi′er, n.
v.t.
- to make (an idea, statement, etc.) clear or intelligible;
to free from ambiguity. - Chemistryto remove solid matter from (a liquid);
to make into a clear or pellucid liquid. - to free (the mind, intelligence, etc.) from confusion;
revive:The short nap clarified his thoughts.
v.i.
- to become clear, pure, or intelligible:The political situation clarified.
- Late Latin clārificāre, equivalent. to Latin clār(us) clear + -ificāre -ify
- Middle French clarifier
- Middle English 1350–1400
clar′i•fi′er, n.
- 1. explain, illuminate, elucidate, resolve.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
clarify /ˈklærɪˌfaɪ/ vb ( -fies, -fying, -fied)
'to clarify' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
defecate
- fine
- illustrate
- interpret
- paraphrase
- shed
- backgrounder
- batch
- clarificant
- definitive
- explanation
- home
- light
- linguistic analysis
- tag line