explained yourself

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "explained yourself" is not correct in standard English.
The correct form would be "explain yourself" or "explained yourself" in a different context. You can use it when referring to someone needing to clarify their actions or statements, typically in a past context. Example: "After the misunderstanding, I asked him to explain himself during the meeting."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

At work, even though you are sure that you've explained yourself clearly to the other person, they do the opposite of what you said; and they are sure they followed your instructions.

Huffington Post

If he continues to bother you about it even after you have explained yourself clearly, distance yourself from him for a while.

WikiHow

When you have explained yourself well, and the person has understood you, you can end the conversation, and say goodbye to each other.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

You have to explain yourself.

The New York Times

"Explain yourself," it advised Mr. Bloomberg.

The New York Times

You just come out and explain yourself.

The New York Times

"Now everybody's throwing it at me: explain yourself, woman!

The Guardian - Music

Can you explain yourself before I get bored?

The Guardian - Music

It means you don't have to explain yourself".

The Guardian

But because you don't feel like explaining yourself".

The New York Times - Sports

Watch a previous "Explain Yourself" with the cartoonist Liam Walsh.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

If referring to someone who has already clarified their actions, use "explained himself/herself/themselves".

Common error

Avoid using "explained yourself" as it is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "explain yourself" when asking someone to clarify.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "explain yourself" functions as an imperative, prompting someone to provide clarification or justification for their actions or behavior. As Ludwig AI highlights, the past tense "explained" is grammatically incorrect in this context.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "explain yourself" is used to request clarification or justification for someone's actions. However, it's important to note that the past tense form "explained yourself" is grammatically incorrect. According to Ludwig AI, the correct form is "explain yourself" when issuing a command or request. While examples of "explained yourself" exist, they are not considered standard English. Instead, consider alternatives like "clarify your actions" or "justify your behavior" depending on the context. This phrase is found, albeit rarely, in news, media, and wiki sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

explain yourself

This is the correct form of the original phrase.

clarify your actions

Focuses on the actions needing explanation rather than the person.

justify your behavior

Implies a need to defend or provide reasons for one's conduct.

give an account of yourself

More formal and implies a detailed explanation of one's actions.

offer an explanation

General way of asking someone to provide clarity about something.

provide reasons for your actions

Directly asks for the reasons behind specific actions.

elaborate on your conduct

Suggests a more detailed and thorough explanation is needed.

shed light on what happened

Focuses on clarifying an event or situation rather than personal actions.

tell us why you did that

Informal and direct request for an explanation of a specific action.

what's your side of the story

Invites someone to share their perspective or version of events.

FAQs

How do I properly use "explain yourself" in a sentence?

Use "explain yourself" when you want someone to clarify their actions or behavior. For example, "After making that comment, he had to explain himself to the group".

What is the difference between "explain yourself" and "justify your behavior"?

"Explain yourself" is a general request for clarification, while "justify your behavior" implies a need to defend or provide reasons for actions that may be seen as wrong.

When should I use "give an account of yourself" instead of "explain yourself"?

"Give an account of yourself" is more formal and suggests a detailed, comprehensive explanation, often in an official setting. "Explain yourself" is more casual and general.

What are some alternatives to "explain yourself" in informal situations?

In informal situations, you can use phrases like "what's your side of the story" or simply "tell us why you did that".