explanatory
Meant to clarify
Explanatory describes something that explains or clarifies: an explanatory note, an explanatory paragraph.
It indicates the purpose is to make something understandable rather than to argue, entertain, or persuade: The manual includes explanatory diagrams for each step.
Serving to explain
- interpretiveExplaining meaning or significance
- illustrativeServing to explain
- informativeProviding useful knowledge
- annotativeMarking with explanatory notes
definitional · explicative · hermeneutic · discursive · synoptic · textual · documentary · narrative
To make understood
- clarifyMake something understandable
- demystifyExplain something confusing
- simplifyMake less complex
- illuminateSupply with radiance
shed light · make clear · unravel · disentangle · decode · untangle · clear up · resolve
Added explanatory comment
- glossShine or annotation
- footnoteCitation at page bottom
- exegesisCritical textual interpretation
- commentaryExplanatory remarks on events
exposition · elaboration · rationale · justification · reasoning · analysis · interpretation · critique
Simplified explanatory sketch
- chartData shown visually
- graphVisual data display
- infographicVisual data presentation
- schematicSimplified technical diagram
flowchart · illustration · pictogram · map · blueprint · model · sketch · figure
Instructional step-by-step guide
- guideLeader or instruction book
- walkthroughSequential instructional guide
- manualWritten instructions for use
- handbookCompact reference guide
lesson · demonstration · how-to · primer · orientation · overview · briefing · rundown
expository
Serving to explain
- interpretiveExplaining meaning or significance
- illustrativeServing to explain
- informativeProviding useful knowledge
annotative · definitional · explicative · hermeneutic · discursive · synoptic · textual · documentary · narrative · didactic
elucidate
To make understood
illuminate · shed light · make clear · unravel · disentangle · decode · untangle · clear up · resolve · disambiguate
annotation
Added explanatory comment
commentary · exposition · elaboration · rationale · justification · reasoning · analysis · interpretation · critique · note
diagram
Simplified explanatory sketch
- chartData shown visually
- graphVisual data display
- infographicVisual data presentation
schematic · flowchart · illustration · pictogram · map · blueprint · model · sketch · figure · table
tutorial
Instructional step-by-step guide
- guideLeader or instruction book
- walkthroughSequential instructional guide
- manualWritten instructions for use
handbook · lesson · demonstration · how-to · primer · orientation · overview · briefing · rundown · summary
- Informativeeducational, helpful, useful, detailed, factual
- journalismreporters, interview, editors, student editors, school paper
- research methodsexperiment, hypothesis, deduction, experiments, induction
- qualitativequalitative, descriptive, interpretive, subjective, observational
explanatoryconfusing
Causing mental uncertainty
obscuring · mystifying · perplexing · puzzling · bewildering
explanatoryinterrogative
Asking in nature
descriptive · declarative · prescriptive · narrative · evaluative
- explanatory notesText clarifying other text
explain, explanation, explicit, explained, explaining, explains, inexplicable, explainable, unexplained