explainer
One who clarifies
An explainer is a piece of content—article, video, or graphic—designed to clarify a complex topic for a general audience.
News outlets publish explainers on intricate policy issues or unfolding events: Here's an explainer on the debt ceiling crisis.
The format prioritizes accessibility over depth, answering basic questions readers might hesitate to ask.
Make something understandable
- elucidateTo make understood
- demystifyExplain something confusing
- simplifyMake less complex
- illuminateSupply with radiance
spell out · break down · lay out · shed light · unpack · decode · translate · distill
Recorded moving imagery
- documentaryFactual film about reality
- articleWritten piece or grammatical word
- infographicVisual data presentation
- diagramSimplified explanatory sketch
animation · podcast · primer · FAQ · handbook · guide · tutorial · overview
One who instructs others
- mentorTrusted wisdom-giving advisor
- guideLeader or instruction book
- instructorOne who teaches skills
- coachOne who instructs
tutor · communicator · narrator · host · presenter · correspondent · journalist · popularizer
Critical textual interpretation
- hermeneuticsStudy of interpretation methods
- commentaryExplanatory remarks on events
- annotationAdded explanatory comment
- glossShine or annotation
analysis · reading · unpacking · deconstruction · subtext · contextualization · parsing · close reading
Quick to understand
- astuteMentally sharp, discerning
- penetratingPassing into or through
- discerningHaving keen judgment
- enlighteningProviding new understanding
illuminating · thought-provoking · analytical · deep dive · nuanced · revealing · incisive · comprehensive
clarify
Make something understandable
illuminate · spell out · break down · lay out · shed light · unpack · decode · translate · distill · summarize
video
Recorded moving imagery
- documentaryFactual film about reality
- articleWritten piece or grammatical word
- infographicVisual data presentation
diagram · animation · podcast · primer · FAQ · handbook · guide · tutorial · overview · briefing
teacher
One who instructs others
- mentorTrusted wisdom-giving advisor
- guideLeader or instruction book
- instructorOne who teaches skills
coach · tutor · communicator · narrator · host · presenter · correspondent · journalist · popularizer · science communicator
exegesis
Critical textual interpretation
- hermeneuticsStudy of interpretation methods
- commentaryExplanatory remarks on events
- annotationAdded explanatory comment
gloss · analysis · reading · unpacking · deconstruction · subtext · contextualization · parsing · close reading · textual analysis
perceptive
Quick to understand
- astuteMentally sharp, discerning
- penetratingPassing into or through
- discerningHaving keen judgment
enlightening · illuminating · thought-provoking · analytical · deep dive · nuanced · revealing · incisive · comprehensive · authoritative
- videosvideos, clip, clips, video clip, films
- documentsdocument, news, email, report, letter
- Commentary Mediaop-ed, editorial, columnist, pundit, commentator
- communicatorsspeaker, orator, presenter, announcer, broadcaster
- guidesguide, research guide, guidebook, tour guide, hiking guide
- Informativeeducational, helpful, useful, detailed, factual
explainerobscurer
One who darkens understanding
obfuscator · confuser · muddler · complicator · mystifier
explainerconcealer
Cosmetic for hiding flaws
hider · withholder · stonewaller · obstructionist · suppressor
- let me explainPreface to a breakdown
- to explainMake something understood
- hard to explainDifficult to articulate
- explain awayMinimize through justification
- explained awayDismissed through reasoning
- that explains itNow I understand
explain, explained, explaining, explains, explainable, unexplained, explainers, reexplain, overexplained