describe

verb

de·​scribe di-ˈskrīb How to pronounce describe (audio)
described; describing

transitive verb

1
: to represent or give an account of in words
describe a picture
The police asked her to describe the thief.
There were so many things he wanted to describeJames Joyce
2
: to represent by a figure, model, or picture : delineate
described in her paintings what she saw from her window
3
obsolete : distribute
4
: to trace or traverse the outline of
describe a circle
5
archaic : observe, perceive
describable adjective
describer noun

Examples of describe in a Sentence

The witness wasn't able to describe the robber. He described the house in perfect detail. The article describes how the experiment was done. She described watching dolphins play beside the ship. Please describe what happened next. Can you describe the lost dog to me? She used a stick to describe a circle on the ground.
Recent Examples on the Web The decision also described how Apple restricted the companies from advertising cheaper ways to subscribe. Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2024 Pain is a common experience in people with injuries, infections, and disease which is often difficult to describe, particularly in terms of its nature and intensity. Jenny Sweigard, Verywell Health, 5 Mar. 2024 All of his Social Security checks go toward that debt, which Baker described as life-altering. Stacey Barchenger, The Arizona Republic, 4 Mar. 2024 The Texas governor and Republicans have repeatedly used inflammatory language to describe the tens of thousands of asylum-seekers and other migrants arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border. Melissa Brown, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024 In the books to follow, the term Fedaykin is used to describe Paul’s personal guards as his empire expands across the galaxy. Sharp. Lucas Trevor, Washington Post, 4 Mar. 2024 Authorities describe Huria as 5 feet, 4 inches tall, with dark eyes, black medium-length hair and a slim build. David Chiu, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024 All of the employers described their respective job cuts as permanent. George Avalos, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2024 Robinson has often described herself as a Calvinist. James Wood, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'describe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin describere, from de- + scribere to write — more at scribe

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of describe was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near describe

Cite this Entry

“Describe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/describe. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

describe

verb
de·​scribe di-ˈskrīb How to pronounce describe (audio)
described; describing
1
: to represent or give an account of in words
2
: to trace the outline of
describe a circle
describable adjective
describer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on describe

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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