Explicate and Illustrate

Explicate

Explicate verb - To make plain or understandable.
Usage example: the physicist did his best to explicate the wave theory of light for the audience of laymen

Illustrate is a synonym for explicate in clarify topic. In some cases you can use "Illustrate" instead a verb "Explicate", when it comes to topics like explain.

Illustrate

Illustrate verb - To show or make clear by using examples.
Usage example: she illustrated her point with a story about her experiences as a field anthropologist

Explicate is a synonym for illustrate in clarify topic. You can use "Explicate" instead a verb "Illustrate", if it concerns topics such as explain, demonstrate.

Cite this Source
Illustrate and Explicate. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 14, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/explicate/illustrate
Explicate & Illustrate. N.p., 2016. Web. 14 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/explicate/illustrate>.
Illustrate or Explicate. 2016. Accessed August 14, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/explicate/illustrate.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "explicate" and "illustrate" have occurred on timeline