de·lin·eate
di-ˈli-nē-ˌāt 
dē-
delineated; delineating
1
2
a
: to indicate or represent by drawn or painted lines
b
: to mark the outline of
lights delineating the narrow streets
plural -s
1
: one that delineates
2
a
: a surveying odometer that records distances and delineates a profile (as of a road)
b
: a person who makes perspective drawings from an architect's plans
c
: a row of light reflectors mounted on posts especially on curves along the edge of a highway to guide traffic at night
Examples of delineate in a Sentence
Verb
He plants his skates millimeters outside the blue-tinted 44-square-foot arena that delineates the crease and refuses to budge …
—
Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated, 21 May 2007
Screenwriter Christopher Hampton introduces a large gallery of characters, subtly delineating the unspoken class biases that will keep Robbie, for all his confidence, charm and Cambridge education, an outsider.
—David Ansen, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2007
So Madrid finally ordered Onís to cut the best deal he could. The resulting Transcontinental (or Adams-Onís) Treaty of 1819 ceded Florida to the United States and delineated the boundary between American and Spanish territory all the way to the Pacific Ocean …
—Walter A. McDougall, Promised Land, Crusader State, 1997
Privacy plays a unique role in American law. Although considered a core value by most citizens, it is not explicitly delineated as a protected right by the U.S. Constitution.
—Edward A. Cavazos et al., Cyberspace and the Law, 1994
The report clearly delineates the steps that must be taken.
The characters in the story were carefully delineated.
Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated, 21 May 2007
Screenwriter Christopher Hampton introduces a large gallery of characters, subtly delineating the unspoken class biases that will keep Robbie, for all his confidence, charm and Cambridge education, an outsider.
—David Ansen, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2007
So Madrid finally ordered Onís to cut the best deal he could. The resulting Transcontinental (or Adams-Onís) Treaty of 1819 ceded Florida to the United States and delineated the boundary between American and Spanish territory all the way to the Pacific Ocean …
—Walter A. McDougall, Promised Land, Crusader State, 1997
Privacy plays a unique role in American law. Although considered a core value by most citizens, it is not explicitly delineated as a protected right by the U.S. Constitution.
—Edward A. Cavazos et al., Cyberspace and the Law, 1994
The report clearly delineates the steps that must be taken.
The characters in the story were carefully delineated.
Recent Examples on the Web
Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 10 June 2026
So, during today's press conference, Ars Technica's Eric Berger asked García-Galán and NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, who also participated in the event, if the MoonFall drones could help delineate a keep-out zone of sorts.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 26 May 2026
Workplace cultures that allocate sustainable workloads, recognize success, and delineate a clear career path will typically see long-term employees.
—Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
They are used to delineate space and accentuate the lines of a landscape, including planting beds and pathways.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for delineate
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.
Verb
City centers across Europe and Asia were anchored for centuries by ancient seats of royalty and religion, and delineated by walls.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 10 June 2026
So, during today's press conference, Ars Technica's Eric Berger asked García-Galán and NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, who also participated in the event, if the MoonFall drones could help delineate a keep-out zone of sorts.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 26 May 2026
Workplace cultures that allocate sustainable workloads, recognize success, and delineate a clear career path will typically see long-term employees.
—Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
They are used to delineate space and accentuate the lines of a landscape, including planting beds and pathways.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for delineate
Cite this Entry
“Delineate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delineate. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
delineate
verb
de·lin·eate
di-ˈlin-ē-ˌāt
delineated; delineating
1
: to indicate by lines : sketch
2
: to describe in sharp or vivid detail
delineate the characters in a story
delineation
noun
-ˌlin-ē-ˈā-shən
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
