# explain vs explained

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### explain
*verb · IPA /ɪkˈspleɪn/ · frequency rank #1,365*
To make plain, manifest, or intelligible; to clear of obscurity; to illustrate the meaning of.

### explained
*verb · IPA /ɪkˈspleɪnd/ · frequency rank #2,535*
simple past and past participle of explain

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/explain-vs-explained