1
as in to trace
to draw or make apparent the outline of
the man's roly-poly shape was softly delineated by the glow of the fire
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to describe
to give a representation or account of in words
the story does a remarkable job of delineating the emotions that immigrants feel upon their arrival in a strange country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of delineate
Others see it as a way to mark new chapters in their lives, or delineate fresh starts.
—
Maya Silver, Outside, 25 Feb. 2026
One path forward would be serious discussion of a modern city charter that more clearly delineates executive and legislative roles.
—Sara Albrecht, Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026
The force of Quincy’s essay resided not in rehearsing this full litany of offenses for The Atlantic’s readers but in delineating its implications.
—Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
Humans couldn’t delineate such borders in several lifetimes, but the algorithm did it in hours.
—Amber Dance, Quanta Magazine, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for delineate
Maya Silver, Outside, 25 Feb. 2026
One path forward would be serious discussion of a modern city charter that more clearly delineates executive and legislative roles.
—Sara Albrecht, Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026
The force of Quincy’s essay resided not in rehearsing this full litany of offenses for The Atlantic’s readers but in delineating its implications.
—Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
Humans couldn’t delineate such borders in several lifetimes, but the algorithm did it in hours.
—Amber Dance, Quanta Magazine, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for delineate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for delineate
Verb
-
Frazer traces his love of the harmonica to 1970, when San Diego’s KPRI radio introduced him to acts such as Paul Butterfield, Canned Heat and John Mayall.—
Walker Armstrong,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The island’s cooperative spirit traces back to 1817.—
NPR,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Rabbi Irwin Kula, the panel’s moderator, asked the participants to describe their biggest fear or nightmare.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
In 2024, Contra Costa County investigators searched a ravine and found the ladder Matthew Muller described using to climb into a family's house weeks after the March 2015 attack on Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn.—
Lauren Clark,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Sound design—the particular timbre of a bass drum or a synth sweep—often defines the identity of a track.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
That shop, Orange County Drum & Percussion, better known as OCDP, would go on to define the look and sound of a generation of alternative rock drummers.—
Jeff Miller,
Rolling Stone,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
One video pinned to his profile depicts him on a wild boar hunt, smoking a cigar.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The studded headpiece depicts the sacrifice of a lamb and is considered a national treasure.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Some schools also use an Individualized Health Care Plan (IHCP) — a nursing document that outlines how your child’s allergy will be managed throughout the school day.—
Dr. Sonja O'Leary,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
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In the high southeastern sky, look for a backward question mark that outlines the head and chest of the constellation Leo the Lion.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The book portrays an authoritarian near-future Russia where most entertainment and all news comes through Cameras, people wired to transmit their experiences directly from their brains to the internet.—
Stephanie Burt,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Fisher will portray the recurring role of Michael Jorie, a dangerous killer with a warped sense of righteousness and piety to his beliefs that fuel his involvement in a southwestern gang with a long history of violence.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Delineate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delineate. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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