explain at a high-level

USAGE SUMMARY

"explain at a high-level" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want someone to give an overview or overview of a concept or idea without going into too many details. For example, "Can you explain at a high-level what your research project is about?".

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

We observed that the targets of high influence miRNAs are functionally related, which could explain, at a high-level, the mode of action of miRNAs.

BMC Systems Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

A technical recruiter should be able to explain at a high level what a distributed system is, or the difference between a native mobile app and a web mobile app.

TechCrunch

Having stated this opinion, I would now like to explain at a higher level why incompleteness of the kind seen here is not a problem for the process of science.

Biology Direct

Key new innovations such as MCDRAM, cluster modes, and memory modes are explained at a high level.

Intel Xeon Phi Processor High Performance Programming Knights Landing Edition

In addition, Wimsatt points out that the "costs" of working out reductive explanations of the many particulars already explained at a higher level are relevant to the question of why there is not a full-scale replacement of higher level explanations with lower level ones.

SEP

When exposing two different Daphnia pulex genotypes (a cadmium-sensitive and a cadmium-tolerant one) to cadmium, the toxic cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa, and their mixture, we found that observations at the transcriptomic level do not always explain observations at a higher level (growth, reproduction).

Environmental Science & Technology

Thought vectors, Hinton explained, work at a higher level by extracting something closer to actual meaning.

The Guardian

Consequently, alternative pathways have received more attention in the area of epigenetics to help explain transcriptional competence at a higher level of organization.

Experimental Cell Research

We do not want one theory about people's reactions to cancer patients and a different theory about people's reactions to AIDS patients; we want a theory that explains both reactions at a higher level.

Health Psychology Review

Steve Adler, the mayor of Austin since 2015, explained to TechCrunch that "at a high level, [the pilot] is trying to figure out how to solve one of the challenges we have in our community related to the homeless population, which is how to keep all the information of that individual with that individual".

TechCrunch

Find a high-level friend.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "explain at a high-level", ensure your explanation focuses on the core concepts, avoiding intricate details or jargon that may confuse the audience. This approach is best suited for initial introductions or overviews of complex topics.

Common error

Avoid turning a high-level explanation into a detailed analysis. If you start delving too deeply into specifics, it defeats the purpose of providing a broad overview and may overwhelm your audience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "explain at a high-level" functions as a request or instruction to provide a simplified overview of a topic. As noted by Ludwig, it is suitable when a general understanding is desired without intricate details.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

27%

News & Media

41%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

9%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "explain at a high-level" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase that requests a simplified overview of a topic. According to Ludwig, it's appropriate when a general understanding is needed without getting into excessive detail. This phrase is versatile and appears across various contexts, particularly in Science and News & Media. Alternatives include "provide a general explanation" or "give a broad overview". When using this phrase, focus on core concepts and avoid overwhelming your audience with intricate details.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

offer a high-level summary

Rephrases the original query using 'summary' instead of 'explanation'.

give a broad overview

Emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the summary.

outline the basics

Focuses on the fundamental aspects of the topic.

provide a general explanation

Focuses on the breadth of the explanation rather than the level of detail.

describe in general terms

Emphasizes the lack of specific details in the description.

summarize the key points

Highlights the act of condensing information to its most essential elements.

present a simplified version

Indicates that the explanation has been made easier to understand.

sketch out the main ideas

Implies a quick and less detailed presentation of the concepts.

present a bird's-eye view

Uses a metaphor to describe a comprehensive but not detailed perspective.

explain in layman's terms

Focuses on explaining something in a way that is easily understood by someone without specialized knowledge.

FAQs

How can I use "explain at a high-level" in a sentence?

You can use "explain at a high-level" to request a general overview of a topic, such as, "Can you "explain at a high-level" the main concepts of quantum physics?"

What's a good alternative to "explain at a high-level"?

Alternatives include "provide a general explanation", "give a broad overview", or "summarize the key points", each emphasizing a slightly different aspect of providing a simplified explanation.

When is it appropriate to ask someone to "explain at a high-level"?

It's appropriate when you need a basic understanding of a complex topic without getting bogged down in specifics, or when introducing a subject to someone unfamiliar with it.

What does it mean to "explain at a high-level"?

To "explain at a high-level" means to provide a simplified, general overview of a subject, focusing on the main ideas and avoiding detailed analysis or technical jargon.