Explain vs. Describe

'Explain' focuses on providing clarification, understanding, or reasoning about a subject, concept, or process. When you explain something, you try to make it clearer and easier to understand. 'Describe', on the other hand, involves providing a detailed account or portrayal of something, often focusing on its appearance, characteristics, or qualities. Describing tries to present an image of the object or person by providing specific details or observations. Here are some examples:

To 'explain' something typically involves dealing with more abstract and conceptual ideas, theories, processes, or complex systems. It aims at providing logical connections and offering a deeper understanding of the subject matter. As such, 'explain' cannot be used when talking about qualities and appearance of concrete objects. To 'describe', on the other hand, is more concerned with concrete objects and focuses on the physical attributes, characteristics, or qualities of a subject, often emphasizing sensory experiences. It can also be used when talking about an abstract concept, but even in this case its meaning is not the same 'explain'.