explicit implies such verbal plainness and distinctness that there is no need for inference and no room for difficulty in understanding.
explicit instructions
definite stresses precise, clear statement or arrangement that leaves no doubt or indecision.
the law is definite in such cases
express implies both explicitness and direct and positive utterance.
her express wishes
specific applies to what is precisely and fully treated in detail or particular.
two specific criticisms
Example Sentences
From closer restrictions on sexually explicit writing came the success, in the mid-19th century, of the novelist George Thompson, who combined graphically violent scenes set in urban dystopias with coy peekaboo references to sex. Susan Dominus, New York Times Book Review, 5 Apr. 2009Therefore, the Administration's policy was the explicit, if unpublicized, one that it was necessary to allow Saddam Hussein to put down the rebellions. Elizabeth Drew, New Yorker, 6 May 1991 They were given explicit instructions. Changes to the property can't be done without their explicit consent. The law is very explicit about how these measures should be enacted. a song with explicit lyrics The movie contains scenes of explicit violence. See More
Recent Examples on the WebBut that may be a good thing due to the potential that users might abuse the technology and make explicit or hateful images, the Verge notes. Grady Mcgregor, Fortune, 16 Aug. 2022 What that means is an explicit and deliberate effort to try to build U.S. economic capacity and U.S. economic strength in critical sectors of our economy. Rhett Buttle, Forbes, 25 July 2022 Each of these films, while not ignoring struggle, is ultimately empowering, whether that is explicit or implied. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 9 June 2022 Retired officers who spoke to The Associated Press described examples of explicit and implicit bias. Nomaan Merchant, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 May 2022 That visit heralded a far more explicit and hawkish US war aim in Ukraine -- namely the weakening of Russian military power so that Putin lacks the future capacity to threaten American allies in Europe. Stephen Collinson, CNN, 2 May 2022 Court records show six deans, including the dean of the college of education, Abram VanderMeer, conducted an explicit and bizarre interrogation.Washington Post, 21 Apr. 2022 During another clash with Trump’s more militant advisers, when Trump was not present, Milley was even more explicit. Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2022 Some, like those in the Never Trump movement, have been explicit in their efforts to return to traditional conservatism since 2016. Arit John, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French explicite, borrowed from Medieval Latin explicitus, going back to Latin, "free from difficulties," variant past participle of explicāre "to free from folds or creases, unroll, disentangle, spread out, set out in words, give an account of" — more at explicate
Note: Verbs built on the stem -plicā- have the variants -plicuī, -plicitus alongside a regular perfect and past participle -plicāvī, -plicātus.Oxford Latin Dictionary notes that explicāre the variants explicuī, explicitus come later, replacing explicāvī, explicātus after the time of Cicero. See also exploit entry 1.