noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˌklɛɹɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/Mary–marry–merry merger
Australian:/ˌklæɹɪfɪˈkæɪʃən/
rhymes with -eɪʃən
CMU ARPABET:K L EH2 R AH0 F AH0 K EY1 SH AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The act of clarifying; the act or process of making clear or transparent by freeing visible impurities; particularly, the clearing or fining of liquid substances from impurities via the separation of the insoluble particles which prevent the liquid from being transparent.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
The clarification of wine.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The act of freeing from obscurities; disambiguation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
Your ideas deserve clarification.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
An explanatory comment on, or question about, a point of obscurity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
Let me make just one clarification: did he kiss her, or did she kiss him?
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A small piece of writing supplemental to a previously published text, intended to disambiguate, explain away obscurities, but not contradict or emend the text (as would a correction).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: journalism, media
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
Clarity, transparency, mutual understanding; to be clear.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
So, just for clarification, you're saying your Chihuahua ate your homework?
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
the act of removing solid particles from a liquid
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: clearing
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: improvement
7
noun
Meaning 7
an interpretation that removes obstacles to understanding
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the professor's clarification helped her to understand the textbook
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: elucidation, illumination
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: interpretation
Narrower terms: disambiguation
History
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French clarification, from Latin clārificātiō.
Across languages
Translations
64 source translations are retained for this English entry.