Meaning & use
elaborate
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Meanings
verbintransitive
To give more details or a fuller explanation about an idea, plan, or statement.
Grammar: No direct object; usually followed by on or upon: elaborate on the plan.
Patterns
- elaborate on something
- elaborate upon something
- elaborate a little further
Could you elaborate on your answer with one more example?
She declined to elaborate on the reasons for her decision.
verbtransitiveformal
To develop or work out an idea, theory, or system carefully and in detail.
Grammar: Takes an object and is more formal: elaborate a proposal.
Patterns
- elaborate something
- elaborate a theory
- elaborate a plan
The committee spent weeks elaborating a new safety policy.
He elaborated a detailed model of the local economy.
adjectivenot comparable
Having many carefully arranged parts or details; complicated and thorough.
Grammar: Describes things, not people’s effort; the adjective has a different vowel sound from the verb.
Patterns
- an elaborate design
- elaborate preparations
- elaborate detail
The wedding involved elaborate decorations and a formal dinner.
She gave an elaborate explanation that still left me confused.
Word forms
| third person singular | elaborates |
|---|---|
| past tense | elaborated |
| past participle | elaborated |
| -ing form | elaborating |
Common combinations
- elaborate on a point
- The teacher asked him to elaborate on his main point.
- elaborate design
- The costume had an elaborate design of silver thread.
- elaborate plan
- They made an elaborate plan for moving the furniture safely.
- refuse to elaborate
- The spokesperson refused to elaborate beyond the short statement.
Synonyms and how they differ
- expand
- Expand means make something larger or longer; elaborate specifically adds detail and explanation.
- embellish
- Embellish often adds decorative or exaggerated detail; elaborate is more neutral and orderly.
Opposites
Word family
- elaboration noun
- The process or result of adding fuller detail.
- elaborately adverb
- In a detailed, complicated way.
Commonly confused: elaborate or exaggerate?
elaborate vs exaggerate
Elaborate means add detail; exaggerate means make something seem larger or better than it really is.
Practice
Choose the correct completion: “The manager asked the analyst to elaborate ___ the sudden rise in costs.”
Choose one answer.
The verb elaborate is followed by on when giving more detail: elaborate on the rise. The other prepositions do not combine with this verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “elaborate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.