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
Relevance
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
Examples Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of describe
Plus, many people described using it on baseboards, window sills, ceiling fans, molding, and more.
—
Shea Simmons, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
As president, Trump helped pushed through a major tax cut in 2017, which the National Retail Federation has described as very good for merchants, saving hundreds of billions of dollars that were invested in employees, infrastructure and more.
—Evan Clark, WWD, 5 Nov. 2024
The conservative media personality, who was previously a Fox News host, has had an at-times contentious relationship with the former president over the language he's used to describe women.
—Kelsey Walsh, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024
Police describe Rantanen as a white male, around 5 feet 4 inches tall, 270 pounds, with short brown hair and green eyes.
—Hope Karnopp, Journal Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for describe 
Shea Simmons, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
As president, Trump helped pushed through a major tax cut in 2017, which the National Retail Federation has described as very good for merchants, saving hundreds of billions of dollars that were invested in employees, infrastructure and more.
—Evan Clark, WWD, 5 Nov. 2024
The conservative media personality, who was previously a Fox News host, has had an at-times contentious relationship with the former president over the language he's used to describe women.
—Kelsey Walsh, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024
Police describe Rantanen as a white male, around 5 feet 4 inches tall, 270 pounds, with short brown hair and green eyes.
—Hope Karnopp, Journal Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for describe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for describe
Verb
-
The Impressionist artist depicted masculine figures ranging from workers to members of his family and inner circle, and the concentration of these paintings came as a revelation to many guests.Joelle Diderich, WWD, 5 Nov. 2024
-
This set comes with a 100- and a 500-piece puzzle—each depicts a cozy winter scene.Jessica Kasparian, SELF, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
As Milton approached, Phillips told residents to remember his Rule #7: Don’t freak out.Discover Magazine, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024
-
Catherine tells the story of her rape as a trauma survivor does, doing her best to conjure the dark collage of sensory details imprinted on her memory.Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
During this latest flyby, the spacecraft passed close to Amalthea, Jupiter's fifth-largest moon, characterized by its potato-like shape and small size.Jamie Carter, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
-
China's East Asian neighbors are also grappling with similar problems, characterized by rapidly aging populations and younger generations increasingly hesitant to have families.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
Other elements add more layers, including Cross getting ensnared in a Black Lives Matter protest and having Alex face a real freak of a nemesis, portrayed with depraved confidence by Ryan Eggold.Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
-
Storied actor Denzel Washington has taken on the project of adapting August Wilson’s cycle of 10 plays that portray slices of Black life in each decade of the 1900s.Ronda Racha Penrice, NBC News, 9 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
The pair was introduced by Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, who affectionately referred to Rowland as one of her bonus daughters, though the two are not biologically related.Mikelle Street, WWD, 26 Oct. 2024
-
Though not inherently related, some installments have had connections to previous Horror Story seasons, including the introduction of Rubber Woman to Murder House and the origin story of Coven‘s Spalding.Andy Swift, TVLine, 13 Sep. 2024
Verb
-
The top-line equipment list is complemented by elements that define luxury.James Raia, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
-
Trump’s first administration, which included two impeachments, was defined by his penchant for smashing norms.Stephen Engelberg, ProPublica, 6 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
The aftermath of Israel’s 1982 invasion illustrates another stark fact: permanently weakening or even defeating an organization can give rise to new ones.Sarah E. Parkinson, Foreign Affairs, 11 Nov. 2024
-
The director illustrates much of this through long, patient takes, often keeping distance with interjections of a slow push in towards Lee’s face, studying him in meditation as the the sounds of the natural world quietly score the scene, as though the two are in communion.Kambole Campbell, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
After discovering a human error with its vote tabulation machines, Milwaukee is recounting more than 30,000 absentee ballots that had already been processed, city officials announced Tuesday evening.Maia Pandey, Journal Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2024
-
Trump challenged the 2020 results, but a first-ever risk-limiting audit, which entailed counties recounting by hand every vote cast, reaffirmed Biden's victory.ABC NEWS, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2024
Articles Related to describe
Thesaurus Entries Near describe
Cite this Entry
“Describe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/describe. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share