WordGarden.ioexplainable
A2Pronunciation
UK
- /ɛksplˈeɪnəbəl/
US
- /ɪksˈpleɪnəbəl/
Meanings
Adjective
able to be explained or made understandable
designed so a computer system or model can show understandable reasons for its results
Beyond the definition
Something is explainable when there is a clear way to say why it happened, how it works, or what caused it. A sudden change in the weather may look random at first, but it starts to make sense when you see the change in air pressure on a map. In recent years, the word has become especially common in artificial intelligence. People want AI decisions to be explainable so they can understand why a computer made a certain choice instead of simply accepting the result. The idea is to make complex systems less mysterious and easier for people to trust.
The word explainable describes something that can be understood through a clear explanation or through reasoning that people can follow. It suggests that there is a visible link between cause and effect, so we can break down something complex into simpler parts and show how it leads to a certain result. It is not only about whether something is true; it is also about whether we can clearly say how we know it is true and what led to that outcome.
Historically, the need for explainability was not always so urgent. But in an age of growing complexity, from global financial markets to medical diagnoses and the algorithms behind social media, understanding why things happen has become very important. People no longer want only the result; they also want to understand the process behind it so they can judge whether it is fair, accurate, and reasonable.
This is especially true in the field of "Explainable AI," or XAI. This growing area of research focuses on building AI systems that give clear reasons for their outputs in a way people can understand. If an AI denies a loan application, it is not enough to say, "the algorithm said no." The decision should be explainable, with the system showing which pieces of information led to that conclusion. Beyond technology, the word also applies to human behavior ("Her reaction was explainable given the news she received"), natural events, and everyday situations. In the end, when something is explainable, it opens the door to understanding and helps create trust.
Examples
- 1
Billing
The extra charge looked suspicious at first, but it was explainable when I read the full bill.
- 2
Attendance
The drop in attendance is partly explainable by the bad weather.
- Patternexplainable by + cause
made clearer when you look at that cause
- 3
Behavior
Her sudden silence wasn't immediately explainable, so everyone started guessing.
- 4
Research
In research, results need to be explainable, not just impressive.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Medical AI
Many hospitals are cautious about using AI that is not explainable to doctors or patients.
- Patternexplainable to + person
clear enough that you can tell them how or why it works
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- perfectly explainable
- scientifically explainable
- explainable by
- explainable in terms of
Word family
Explore
- causation
- interpretability
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- explainableadjective