WordValeelaborate
involving many carefully arranged parts
In more detail
1. (verb) to explain something in more detail
2. (verb) to make something more complicated or detailed by adding more information or features
Examples
- 1. Can you elaborate on what you meant by that comment?
- 2. The artist elaborated the simple design with decorative patterns.
How to use elaborate
As a verb, elaborate is typically used with 'on' to mean explaining something more fully (e.g., 'Can you elaborate on that?'). It often appears in academic, professional, and formal contexts where speakers or writers need to provide more information. The adjective elaborate means ornate or complex, which is distinct from the verb's meaning.
Common phrases
- elaborate on
- elaborate further
- elaborate in detail
- elaborate a point
- elaborate a theory
Synonyms
expand · develop · expound · detail · amplify
Opposites
simplify · condense · abbreviate
Word family
elaboration (noun) · elaborate (adjective) · elaborately (adverb) · elaborateness (noun)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes use 'elaborate' without 'on' when discussing a specific point (saying 'elaborate the idea' instead of 'elaborate on the idea'); in standard English, the preposition 'on' is required when followed by a noun.
Save this word in WordVale and it comes back for review right before you'd forget it — with pronunciation, real examples, and optional translations. One purchase, no subscription.
Get WordValeFREE 7-DAY TRIAL · iPHONE & iPAD