Explain
Explain verb - To make plain or understandable.
To illustrate and explain are semantically related. In some cases you can replace phrase "To illustrate" with "Explain", this terms are similar.
To illustrate
Explain and to illustrate are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Explain" instead a verb phrase "To illustrate".
Mutual synonyms
Both terms in one sentence
-
It's probably easier to illustrate the point than to explain it, so let's assume you have a yellow note in a solo.
Source: Video Game / Rock Band -
Acres episode tackles The Boy Who Cried Wolf, with Orson telling the tale to illustrate why being known as a liar is bad and explain why he's ignoring Roy, only to have an epiphany and re-interpret the Aesop as "Even liars sometimes tell the truth".
Source: Alternate Aesop Interpretation - To illustrate, after triumphantly demanding to start one of their sessions of No Time to Explain because he has "something awesome" for the opening, ends up telling a ketchup pun (The character has a burger for a head).
Source: So Bad, It's Good
Cite this Source
To illustrate and Explain. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 10, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/explain/to_illustrate
Explain & To illustrate. N.p., 2016. Web. 10 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/explain/to_illustrate>.
To illustrate or Explain. 2016. Accessed August 10, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/explain/to_illustrate.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "explain" and "to illustrate" have occurred on timeline