by way of explanation

"Well, 87 is very old and you do forget about sex," she offers by way of explanation.

“By way of explanation, he seemed to contend he was pressured to plead guilty by the federal prosecutors.”

By way of explanation, he told me a nursing home might sell its building and land to a sister company, and then pay inflated rent to that company.

“And she hates hospitals,” Nabhan said by way of explanation.

"I think I'm British," she told Rolling Stone, by way of explanation.