underexplaining
Leaving details out
Underexplaining is failing to provide enough explanation or context for something to be understood.
A teacher underexplains when students are left confused; a writer underexplains when readers can't follow the logic.
The term implies a gap between what the speaker knows and what the audience needs: He underexplained the process, assuming everyone knew the basics.
Not easily understood
- impreciseLacking exactness or accuracy
- ambiguousHaving multiple interpretations
- nebulousUnclear and formless
- sketchyIncomplete or suspicious
incomplete · elliptical · cryptic · obscure · murky · inexplicit · indistinct · equivocal
Oversimplifying complex matters
- simplisticExcessively basic, ignoring complexity
- dumbed-downMade less intellectually demanding
- oversimplifiedMade misleadingly basic
- superficialLacking depth or substance
shallow · rudimentary · elementary · basic · crude · undeveloped · watered-down · glossed
Brief to bluntness
- laconicBrief in expression
- conciseBriefly and clearly stated
- curtAbruptly rude in speech
- succinctExpressed with minimal words
pithy · clipped · abrupt · sparse · economical · understated · compressed · truncated
Causing mental uncertainty
- misleadingCausing false beliefs
- inadequateNot sufficient for purpose
- unsatisfactoryNot good enough
- exasperatingIntensely irritating
irritating · perplexing · dissatisfying · bewildering · off-putting · unhelpful · disorienting · baffling
unclear
Not easily understood
- impreciseLacking exactness or accuracy
- ambiguousHaving multiple interpretations
- nebulousUnclear and formless
sketchy · incomplete · elliptical · cryptic · obscure · murky · inexplicit · indistinct · equivocal · uninformative
reductive
Oversimplifying complex matters
- simplisticExcessively basic, ignoring complexity
- dumbed-downMade less intellectually demanding
- oversimplifiedMade misleadingly basic
superficial · shallow · rudimentary · elementary · basic · crude · undeveloped · watered-down · glossed · stripped-down
terse
Brief to bluntness
succinct · pithy · clipped · abrupt · sparse · economical · understated · compressed · truncated · abbreviated
confusing
Causing mental uncertainty
- misleadingCausing false beliefs
- inadequateNot sufficient for purpose
- unsatisfactoryNot good enough
exasperating · irritating · perplexing · dissatisfying · bewildering · off-putting · unhelpful · disorienting · baffling · alienating
underexplainingoverexplaining
Providing unnecessary detail
over-explaining · overelaborating · belaboring · spelling out · hand-holding
explain, explanation, explained, explaining, explainable, unexplained, explanatory, explicate, explicable