described; describing
1
: to represent or give an account of in words
describe a picture
The police asked her to describe the thief.
The article describes how the experiment was done.
There were so many things he wanted to describe …—
James Joyce
James Joyce2
: 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
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
In addition to the blasts, residents across Caracas described hearing sirens and sporadic gunfire in various neighborhoods, adding to the sense of confusion and fear.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2026
The builder described the concept simply.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Jan. 2026
In his biography on Saks Global's website, the company credited Baker for leading the acquisition of Neiman Marcus and described his strong real estate background.
—Melissa Repko, CNBC, 2 Jan. 2026
Van Hoose described the area as remote and heavily wooded, with some secluded trails.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for describe
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show current usage.
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Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2026
The builder described the concept simply.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Jan. 2026
In his biography on Saks Global's website, the company credited Baker for leading the acquisition of Neiman Marcus and described his strong real estate background.
—Melissa Repko, CNBC, 2 Jan. 2026
Van Hoose described the area as remote and heavily wooded, with some secluded trails.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for describe
Cite this Entry
“Describe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/describe. Accessed 4 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
describe
verb
de·scribe
di-ˈskrīb 
described; describing
1
: to represent or give an account of in words
2
: to trace the outline of
describe a circle
describer
noun
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