1
as in depicting
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 telling
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 characterizing
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 describing
In the interview, describing the early moments of her mother’s absence, Guthrie explained the array of terrifying thoughts that occurred to her and to her siblings.
—
Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates later designated it a terrorist organization, describing it as a threat to national stability, while Bahrain adopted a similar stance.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Bartlett echoed the sentiment, describing a bond built on intuition and mutual support.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
Rather than describing the moon’s color, the name reflects the natural signs of spring and the changing seasons.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Directly before voting began, Ben Gvir made a bellowing speech from the podium, describing the law as long overdue and a sign of strength and national pride.
—Julia Frankel, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Powell made those boundaries explicit when describing his philosophy of Fed governance.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
Taxstone used a cellphone behind bars in the weeks leading up to the caper, sending off audio recordings with detailed instructions describing the layout in front of the jail, the length of rope to use, and how to tape sandwich bags packed with contraband onto it.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2026
Studies tell us that hair is among the top three features (along with height and weight) used when describing others, and one of the features most often recalled after a social interaction.
—Valerie Monroe, Allure, 25 Mar. 2026
Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates later designated it a terrorist organization, describing it as a threat to national stability, while Bahrain adopted a similar stance.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Bartlett echoed the sentiment, describing a bond built on intuition and mutual support.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
Rather than describing the moon’s color, the name reflects the natural signs of spring and the changing seasons.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Directly before voting began, Ben Gvir made a bellowing speech from the podium, describing the law as long overdue and a sign of strength and national pride.
—Julia Frankel, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Powell made those boundaries explicit when describing his philosophy of Fed governance.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
Taxstone used a cellphone behind bars in the weeks leading up to the caper, sending off audio recordings with detailed instructions describing the layout in front of the jail, the length of rope to use, and how to tape sandwich bags packed with contraband onto it.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2026
Studies tell us that hair is among the top three features (along with height and weight) used when describing others, and one of the features most often recalled after a social interaction.
—Valerie Monroe, Allure, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for describing
Verb
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Little touches include a selection of books focused on native flora and fauna and art depicting local landscapes.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
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Now some Republicans are depicting the No Kings movement as a band of radicals, out of step with mainstream political opinion.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Because there’s no telling how many times this bell will ring before changes are ushered in.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
-
American Airlines is telling you why your flight is delayed.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The notion of characterizing such a move as anything more than penalizing the public — which is finally balking at more taxation — is nonsense.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Analysts at Mizuho, for example, urged investors not to overreact, characterizing the move as typical profit-taking after a strong rally.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Hundreds of people attended the Via Crucis in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood on Good Friday, straining their necks to catch a glimpse of the actor portraying Jesus in the final moments before his execution.—
Laura Turbay,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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Laina Morris, for instance, has tried to move on from the image of her grinning, bug-eyed face that became a popular meme portraying her as an overly protective and clingy girlfriend.—
Ben Pettis,
The Conversation,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Stories recounting the fall from grace of cultural, military, political and even mythical figures are as old as human history.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
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The two women bravely faced Gale in court Tuesday, recounting how their lives have changed.—
Neal Riley,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Astor family were the defining dynasty of New York's Gilded Age, and that spirit of grandeur and meticulous hosting has traveled with the brand ever since.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
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Dowd returns to her career-defining role as Aunt Lydia, who is now the leader of the school where Agnes and Daisy are students.—
Alex Cramer,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Carlton Fisk didn’t retire with the Red Sox, who infamously quote-unquote accidentally mailed his contract a day late, rendering him a free agent.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Officers immediately began rendering aid until the man was taken to a hospital.—
Bryant Reed,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Pisces new moon creates opportunities for fulfillment through relating.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
18 Mar. 2026
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In relating her story this way, Gisèle is restoring to the record her waking life.—
Gaby Wood,
Vogue,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Describing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/describing. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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