What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
explain
Example
Can you explain how to use this software? [explain: verb]
Example
The teacher explained the concept of photosynthesis to the students. [explained: past tense]
explicate
Example
The professor explicated the meaning behind the poem's metaphors. [explicated: past tense]
Example
Can you explicate the main points of the article for me? [explicate: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Explain is more common in everyday language, while explicate is more common in academic or literary contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between explain and explicate?
Explicate is more formal and scholarly than explain, which can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
