Synonym Chooser

How is the word explicit distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of explicit are definite, express, and specific. While all these words mean "perfectly clear in meaning," explicit implies such verbal plainness and distinctness that there is no need for inference and no room for difficulty in understanding.

explicit instructions

When could definite be used to replace explicit?

While in some cases nearly identical to explicit, definite stresses precise, clear statement or arrangement that leaves no doubt or indecision.

the law is definite in such cases

When would express be a good substitute for explicit?

The meanings of express and explicit largely overlap; however, express implies both explicitness and direct and positive utterance.

her express wishes

When might specific be a better fit than explicit?

The words specific and explicit are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, specific applies to what is precisely and fully treated in detail or particular.

two specific criticisms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of explicit Officials said the victims would be contacted for explicit pictures and videos via social media. Nancy Cutler, USA Today, 20 Sep. 2025 Wolfe Herd also advocated for stricter laws and regulations online, championing the passage of Texas House Bill 2789, which made the sending of unsolicited, explicit images a punishable offense. Barry Levitt, Time, 19 Sep. 2025 The former photographer from Rochester, New York, was arrested in 2010 after police found a diary listing unnamed women, explicit photographs and other evidence. Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025 No equivalent type of rhetoric or action at this scale can be found in anything from the CCP, which is explicit in its desire for multipolarity at most. David C. Kang, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for explicit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explicit
Adjective
  • These real estate pros know what’s actually happening in a specific neighborhood can affect a home’s price, including microtrends that may not be reflected in the broader data.
    Mary Beth Eastman, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Meanwhile, others confirmed the stream was working for them, suggesting the issue may be regional or device-specific.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • For extra convenience, there are 10 power settings, a clock and kitchen timer, and a 30-second express cooking function.
    Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Guests with no bags or clutches smaller than 4 inches by 6 inches can use Evolv express entry lanes.
    Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • But that might not give you a definite idea of how the drink may affect you.
    Amy Brightfield, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Both are definite building blocks moving forward for the organization.
    Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The absence of any definitive answer only invites more intrigue within an organization unafraid to make drastic changes.
    Chandler Rome, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Of course, there is no definitive answer to the question of which royal princess has more aura, which is itself a highly subjective concept.
    Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Lead researchers on the project concluded that there was no unambiguous discovery of life by the Viking landers, but it cannot be completely ruled out.
    Joel S. Levine, The Conversation, 8 Sep. 2025
  • This is the complete opposite of most programming languages, where syntax typically tries to be explicit and unambiguous.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Precise numbers of staffing cuts are hard to pin down, but their historic scale in the first eight months of this administration is unmistakable.
    Chris Sellers, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
  • But some parts are unmistakable.
    Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Their response was an unequivocal yes.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 26 Sep. 2025
  • The answer to all those questions is an unequivocal yes.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Access to comprehensive care and standardized pathways for evaluating severe headaches can mean the difference between life and death.
    The New Yorker, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
  • The size of the task of compiling a comprehensive dictionary…has now grown far beyond what a single individual could hope to achieve in a lifetime.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Explicit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explicit. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.

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