by definition

idiom

: because of what something or someone is : according to the definition of a word that is being used to describe someone or something

A volunteer by definition is not paid.

A glider is by definition an aircraft with no engine.

Examples of by definition in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

That’s the case because the war against big is by definition a war against progress born of discovery. —

John Tamny, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024 The Galerie du Temps’s display is, by definition, chronological, but the rehang focuses on various themes, including self-expression and living things. —

Sarah Belmont, ARTnews.com, 5 Dec. 2024 For one thing, AI delivers solutions based on probability – by definition, there is always a risk of a wrong answer. —

Trevor Laurence Jockims, CNBC, 1 Dec. 2024 Such a prognosis is almost by definition unreliable; studies show that doctors get such predictions wrong more than half the time. —

The Editors, National Review, 27 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for by definition

Cite this Entry

Style

“By definition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20definition. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation