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
For years, Metamorphosis existed as a kind of holy relic, long out of print, its wisdom scattered and reinterpreted across internet forums and TikTok explainers.
—Rachel Hills, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2025
Follow Di Placido for more meme explainers, television reviews, film theories and deep dives into digital culture.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 3 Mar. 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, 28 Feb. 2025
Jayson Stark has a top-to-bottom explainer on what to expect, but here are a couple of takeaways:
Each team will get two ball-strike challenges per game.
—Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
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Rachel Hills, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2025
Follow Di Placido for more meme explainers, television reviews, film theories and deep dives into digital culture.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 3 Mar. 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, 28 Feb. 2025
Jayson Stark has a top-to-bottom explainer on what to expect, but here are a couple of takeaways:
Each team will get two ball-strike challenges per game.
—Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for explainer
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Cite this Entry
“Explainer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/explainer. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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