Meaning & use
explicitly
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Meanings
adverbnot comparable
In a clear, direct way that states every detail and leaves nothing to be guessed.
Grammar: Goes before the verb or participle: explicitly stated.
Patterns
- explicitly say something
- explicitly state that
- explicitly told someone to do something
The contract explicitly forbids subletting the apartment.
She explicitly told us not to open the box until morning.
The rules do not explicitly mention phones, so students asked for clarification.
adverbnot comparable
In a way that openly shows or describes something, especially sexual or violent content, in plain detail.
Grammar: Often before adjectives such as sexual or violent.
Patterns
- explicitly sexual
- explicitly violent
The film was rated for adults because it was explicitly violent.
The article explicitly describes the dangers of the procedure.
The song was banned for being too explicitly political.
Common combinations
- explicitly state
- The law explicitly states who may vote.
- explicitly forbid
- The school explicitly forbids cell phones in exams.
- explicitly ask
- If you want a refund, you must explicitly ask for one.
- explicitly mention
- He never explicitly mentioned the money.
- explicitly agree
- The two sides never explicitly agreed to the terms.
- explicitly written
- The rule is explicitly written in the handbook.
Synonyms and how they differ
- clearly
- Clearly can describe anything easy to see or understand, while explicitly means the words themselves leave no room for doubt.
- expressly
- Expressly is a bit more formal and stresses a deliberate, specific intention, often in legal wording.
- specifically
- Specifically points to one particular thing, while explicitly stresses being stated openly rather than hinted.
- directly
- Directly emphasizes the absence of go-betweens or hints, but not necessarily detail.
Opposites
Word family
- explicit adjective
- stated clearly and in detail, or showing sex or violence openly
- explicitness noun
- the quality of being clearly stated
- implicit adjective
- suggested but not directly stated
- implicitly adverb
- in a way understood but not stated
Commonly confused: explicitly or implicitly? explicitly or exclusively?
explicitly vs implicitly
Implicitly means suggested or understood without being said, the opposite of explicitly.
explicitly vs exclusively
Exclusively means only or not shared with others; it is not about clarity.
Practice
The manager never ______ said I could leave early, but she smiled when I packed up.
Choose one answer.
Explicitly said means said in plain words; the speaker did not say it but showed approval. Implicitly would contradict 'never said' by making the sentence wrong in meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “explicitly”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.