explainer
noun
ex·plain·er
ik-ˈsplā-nər 
plural explainers
: a person or thing that explains something: such as
a
: a person who makes something understandable
Modern day presidents must be good explainers of a complex world …—
Jonathan Alter et al.
Jonathan Alter et al.
b
: an article, podcast, graphic, etc., that explains something complex or not widely understood : an in-depth treatment of a topic
Each half-hour episode contained a big explainer of a complicated issue. The list of topics sounds like the arcane scraps from the cutting-room floor of most newsrooms—the amount of hidden sugar in food, civil forfeiture, the false hopes of lotteries, the failure of the American government to safeguard people who served as interpreters in Iraq and Afghanistan.—David Carr
David CarrInside, the issue contains a long explainer piece on how the subprime mess came to be and how it wreaked havoc on Citi, Wall Street and especially Merrill.—Yvette Kantrow
Yvette KantrowExamples of explainer in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Get our best explainers on everything from money to entertainment to what everyone is talking about online.
—Aja Romano, Vox, 18 Apr. 2025
Hammond has written and edited explainers on a number of health and wellness topics, including racial disparities in HIV treatment, the metabolic benefits of cold exposure, how the flu shot works, and solutions for seasonal dermatology woes.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 11 Apr. 2025
An explainer on unit distribution The NCAA’s broadcast deal with CBS and Turner, which runs through 2032, is worth approximately $1 billion each year.
—Matt Rybaltowski, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
The Federal Aviation Administration published a video explainer about go-arounds on Tuesday, a flight maneuver that the agency said is safe and standard.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for explainer
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Aja Romano, Vox, 18 Apr. 2025
Hammond has written and edited explainers on a number of health and wellness topics, including racial disparities in HIV treatment, the metabolic benefits of cold exposure, how the flu shot works, and solutions for seasonal dermatology woes.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 11 Apr. 2025
An explainer on unit distribution The NCAA’s broadcast deal with CBS and Turner, which runs through 2032, is worth approximately $1 billion each year.
—Matt Rybaltowski, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
The Federal Aviation Administration published a video explainer about go-arounds on Tuesday, a flight maneuver that the agency said is safe and standard.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for explainer
Cite this Entry
“Explainer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/explainer. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.
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