diff --git a/R/pkg/R/functions.R b/R/pkg/R/functions.R
index e92e1fd72bf1..9f286263c216 100644
--- a/R/pkg/R/functions.R
+++ b/R/pkg/R/functions.R
@@ -2226,8 +2226,9 @@ setMethod("from_json", signature(x = "Column", schema = "characterOrstructType")
           })
 
 #' @details
-#' \code{from_utc_timestamp}: Given a timestamp, which corresponds to a certain time of day in UTC,
-#' returns another timestamp that corresponds to the same time of day in the given timezone.
+#' \code{from_utc_timestamp}: Given a timestamp like '2017-07-14 02:40:00.0', interprets it as a
+#' time in UTC, and renders that time as a timestamp in the given time zone. For example, 'GMT+1'
+#' would yield '2017-07-14 03:40:00.0'.
 #'
 #' @rdname column_datetime_diff_functions
 #'
@@ -2286,8 +2287,9 @@ setMethod("next_day", signature(y = "Column", x = "character"),
           })
 
 #' @details
-#' \code{to_utc_timestamp}: Given a timestamp, which corresponds to a certain time of day
-#' in the given timezone, returns another timestamp that corresponds to the same time of day in UTC.
+#' \code{to_utc_timestamp}: Given a timestamp like '2017-07-14 02:40:00.0', interprets it as a
+#' time in the given time zone, and renders that time as a timestamp in UTC. For example, 'GMT+1'
+#' would yield '2017-07-14 01:40:00.0'.
 #'
 #' @rdname column_datetime_diff_functions
 #' @aliases to_utc_timestamp to_utc_timestamp,Column,character-method
diff --git a/python/pyspark/sql/functions.py b/python/pyspark/sql/functions.py
index 399bef02d9cc..57068fbae1dd 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/sql/functions.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/sql/functions.py
@@ -1150,8 +1150,9 @@ def unix_timestamp(timestamp=None, format='yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss'):
 @since(1.5)
 def from_utc_timestamp(timestamp, tz):
     """
-    Given a timestamp, which corresponds to a certain time of day in UTC, returns another timestamp
-    that corresponds to the same time of day in the given timezone.
+    Given a timestamp like '2017-07-14 02:40:00.0', interprets it as a time in UTC, and renders
+    that time as a timestamp in the given time zone. For example, 'GMT+1' would yield
+    '2017-07-14 03:40:00.0'.
 
     >>> df = spark.createDataFrame([('1997-02-28 10:30:00',)], ['t'])
     >>> df.select(from_utc_timestamp(df.t, "PST").alias('local_time')).collect()
@@ -1164,8 +1165,9 @@ def from_utc_timestamp(timestamp, tz):
 @since(1.5)
 def to_utc_timestamp(timestamp, tz):
     """
-    Given a timestamp, which corresponds to a certain time of day in the given timezone, returns
-    another timestamp that corresponds to the same time of day in UTC.
+    Given a timestamp like '2017-07-14 02:40:00.0', interprets it as a time in the given time
+    zone, and renders that time as a timestamp in UTC. For example, 'GMT+1' would yield
+    '2017-07-14 01:40:00.0'.
 
     >>> df = spark.createDataFrame([('1997-02-28 10:30:00',)], ['ts'])
     >>> df.select(to_utc_timestamp(df.ts, "PST").alias('utc_time')).collect()
diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/datetimeExpressions.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/datetimeExpressions.scala
index 70354200c82d..eaf878888821 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/datetimeExpressions.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/datetimeExpressions.scala
@@ -978,12 +978,13 @@ case class TimeAdd(start: Expression, interval: Expression, timeZoneId: Option[S
 }
 
 /**
- * Given a timestamp, which corresponds to a certain time of day in UTC, returns another timestamp
- * that corresponds to the same time of day in the given timezone.
+ * Given a timestamp like '2017-07-14 02:40:00.0', interprets it as a time in UTC, and renders
+ * that time as a timestamp in the given time zone. For example, 'GMT+1' would yield
+ * '2017-07-14 03:40:00.0'.
  */
 // scalastyle:off line.size.limit
 @ExpressionDescription(
-  usage = "_FUNC_(timestamp, timezone) - Given a timestamp, which corresponds to a certain time of day in UTC, returns another timestamp that corresponds to the same time of day in the given timezone.",
+  usage = "_FUNC_(timestamp, timezone) - Given a timestamp like '2017-07-14 02:40:00.0', interprets it as a time in UTC, and renders that time as a timestamp in the given time zone. For example, 'GMT+1' would yield '2017-07-14 03:40:00.0'.",
   examples = """
     Examples:
       > SELECT from_utc_timestamp('2016-08-31', 'Asia/Seoul');
@@ -1153,12 +1154,13 @@ case class MonthsBetween(date1: Expression, date2: Expression, timeZoneId: Optio
 }
 
 /**
- * Given a timestamp, which corresponds to a certain time of day in the given timezone, returns
- * another timestamp that corresponds to the same time of day in UTC.
+ * Given a timestamp like '2017-07-14 02:40:00.0', interprets it as a time in the given time zone,
+ * and renders that time as a timestamp in UTC. For example, 'GMT+1' would yield
+ * '2017-07-14 01:40:00.0'.
  */
 // scalastyle:off line.size.limit
 @ExpressionDescription(
-  usage = "_FUNC_(timestamp, timezone) - Given a timestamp, which corresponds to a certain time of day in the given timezone, returns another timestamp that corresponds to the same time of day in UTC.",
+  usage = "_FUNC_(timestamp, timezone) - Given a timestamp like '2017-07-14 02:40:00.0', interprets it as a time in the given time zone, and renders that time as a timestamp in UTC. For example, 'GMT+1' would yield '2017-07-14 01:40:00.0'.",
   examples = """
     Examples:
       > SELECT _FUNC_('2016-08-31', 'Asia/Seoul');
diff --git a/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/functions.scala b/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/functions.scala
index c6d0d86384b7..6bbdfa3ad189 100644
--- a/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/functions.scala
+++ b/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/functions.scala
@@ -2791,8 +2791,9 @@ object functions {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Given a timestamp, which corresponds to a certain time of day in UTC, returns another timestamp
-   * that corresponds to the same time of day in the given timezone.
+   * Given a timestamp like '2017-07-14 02:40:00.0', interprets it as a time in UTC, and renders
+   * that time as a timestamp in the given time zone. For example, 'GMT+1' would yield
+   * '2017-07-14 03:40:00.0'.
    * @group datetime_funcs
    * @since 1.5.0
    */
@@ -2801,8 +2802,9 @@ object functions {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Given a timestamp, which corresponds to a certain time of day in the given timezone, returns
-   * another timestamp that corresponds to the same time of day in UTC.
+   * Given a timestamp like '2017-07-14 02:40:00.0', interprets it as a time in the given time
+   * zone, and renders that time as a timestamp in UTC. For example, 'GMT+1' would yield
+   * '2017-07-14 01:40:00.0'.
    * @group datetime_funcs
    * @since 1.5.0
    */