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elaborate

When used as an adjective, "elaborate" is pronounced with a short 'a' sound at the end (/ˈɛləbərət/). When used as a verb, it ends with a long 'a' sound (/ɪˈlæbəreɪt/). As a verb, it is very common to use the preposition "on" (e.g., "elaborate on something") when you want someone to provide more details about a specific topic.

💬Casual Conversation

🎬Tuesday afternoon, David is in a meeting while Brian is hiding in the server room.

David Smith

The CEO wants to 'synergize' the cloud migration. Thoughts?

Brian

Care to elaborate on what that actually means, or is it just more buzzwords?

💡

Brian uses 'elaborate' as a verb meaning to provide more detail. The phrase 'care to' is a slightly clipped, skeptical way of asking someone to explain themselves, reflecting Brian's grumpy personality and his disdain for David's corporate jargon.

Meanings

adjective

Involving many carefully arranged parts or details; detailed and complicated in design.

"The dancers wore elaborate costumes adorned with gold sequins."

verb (transitive)

To develop or present a theory, policy, or system in further detail.

"Could you elaborate your plan for the new marketing campaign?"

verb (intransitive)

To add more detail to a statement or explanation, typically by providing more information.

"The spokesperson refused to elaborate on the reasons for the resignation."

Last Updated: May 23, 2026•Report an Error