1
as in to depict
to give a representation or account of in words
he tried to describe the dream he had last night as accurately as he could
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to tell
to give an oral or written account of in some detail
a biography of Washington that describes the decisive Battle of Yorktown at great length
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to characterize
to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group
how would you describe the Inupiat people you encountered in Alaska?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of describe
The complaint references multiple players who are described as sympathetic to Russia’s viewpoint of the war.
—
Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 18 Apr. 2025
He is described as a political science major by the paper.
—Liam Quinn, People.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Neither Miller nor Walsh would describe themselves as mythicists; indeed, both keep a wary if friendly distance from Carrier.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
The 51-year-old has what could be respectfully described as main-character syndrome — the knack of putting himself front and centre.
—Phil Hay, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for describe
Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 18 Apr. 2025
He is described as a political science major by the paper.
—Liam Quinn, People.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Neither Miller nor Walsh would describe themselves as mythicists; indeed, both keep a wary if friendly distance from Carrier.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
The 51-year-old has what could be respectfully described as main-character syndrome — the knack of putting himself front and centre.
—Phil Hay, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for describe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for describe
Verb
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There’s also the personal draw: Not everyone has experienced a haunting, but complicated family dynamics are depicted so often in media that the setting feels both funny and heart racing.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
18 Apr. 2025
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And, for families looking for strong tween and teenage girl protagonists depicted on screen, Rule Breakers is ideal.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Parents,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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That moment — the explosion, the roar — only told part of the story.—
Colin Cerniglia,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Down-to-Earth Pope In a historic moment characterized by autocrats and would-be autocrats, Francis was the antithesis of a strongman.—
Bluesky Social,
Bluesky Social,
21 Apr. 2025
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In today's business environment, characterized by rapid technological evolution, application modernization has become an essential strategic step to ensure the competitiveness and efficiency of organizations.—
Manuel Sanchez,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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This hiatus was reportedly attributed to an injury sustained by Bo Dallas, who portrays the Uncle Howdy character, as WWE had specific creative plans in place for the entire group.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
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In the slightly longer term, Edward Berger’s Oscar-winning papal drama Conclave has led to a sense of intrigue in terms of the succession process and who may replace Francis, who was himself portrayed by Jonathan Pryce in Fernando Meirelles 2019 movie The Two Popes.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Engineering strength depends on an interpretive framework that relates forces, the size of an object and their ratio − which represents mechanical stress.—
Zachary del Rosario,
The Conversation,
18 Apr. 2025
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Jennifer is a senior writer at Ars Technica with a particular focus on where science meets culture, covering everything from physics and related interdisciplinary topics to her favorite films and TV series.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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And what will define a successful correspondents' dinner for the Hilton?—
Major Garrett,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2025
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So, how exactly do brands arrive at the perfect shade to define the year ahead?—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Use case studies and stories to illustrate your expertise, building social proof and authority.—
Amanda Miller Littlejohn,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2025
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The series always made time for Midge’s (Rachel Brosnahan) inner life and personal relationships, illustrating how those factors affected her stage performance and overall life trajectory.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
27 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Knight recounted a story, one that’s hard to verify.—
Rob Davis,
ProPublica,
25 Apr. 2025
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Francis recounted the story of the Virgin Mary's appearance before him during a meeting at his residence in which the Pope asked Makrickas to make the necessary arrangements for his tomb at the basilica.—
Fatima Al-Kassab,
NPR,
25 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Describe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/describe. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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