1
as in to trace
to draw or make apparent the outline of
the glass skyscraper's sleek silhouette was strikingly defined by the setting sun to its west
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
3
as in to characterize
to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group
a woman who is defined by her unswerving loyalty to her friends
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to specify
to give the rules about (something) clearly and exactly
let me define the task so that there is no doubt in your minds about what needs to be done
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of define
Ken Burns has been telling the story of America through his entire career with genre-defining documentaries on the Civil War, the Vietnam War, and now the American Revolution.
—
Ben Smith, semafor.com, 31 Oct. 2025
There are few characters, minimal flourishes of surreality, and a complete lack of the outré whimsy that defined several of Lanthimos’s previous projects with Stone, including Poor Things and The Favourite.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2025
That tension really defines him.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
There’s no doubt that Saturn’s defining feature is its glorious rings.
—Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for define
Ben Smith, semafor.com, 31 Oct. 2025
There are few characters, minimal flourishes of surreality, and a complete lack of the outré whimsy that defined several of Lanthimos’s previous projects with Stone, including Poor Things and The Favourite.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2025
That tension really defines him.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
There’s no doubt that Saturn’s defining feature is its glorious rings.
—Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for define
Recent Examples of Synonyms for define
Verb
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The team traced this distortion to optostriction, where the electromagnetic field of light exerts a small but measurable mechanical force on the atoms.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Nov. 2025
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From his beginnings in small-town Wyoming to his years at the heart of two Bush administrations, his life traced a path through half a century of American government—marked by strategic mastery, fierce controversy, and an unyielding belief in the exercise of authority.—
Daniel Orton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In the early 2010s, Courtois was part of the team that discovered and described the Laniakea supercluster of galaxies to which our Milky Way belongs.—
Caroline Carlson,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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Roberts Giuffre died by suicide in April, months before the publication of her book describing years of abuse.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Jim Trusty, Rozier’s attorney, strongly disputed the accusations, saying that prosecutors characterized Rozier as a subject of their investigation and not a target.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
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At the time, pranks characterized America’s Halloween celebrations.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The agency did not specify the location or extent of the damage.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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The move could result in thousands of flight cancellations each day, although officials have not specified which airports would be affected.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The team has developed their methodology using SA Pathways and Protocols, while also building on protocols outlined by the Nuclear Truth Project, which fosters collaboration between First Nations peoples affected by testing.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
4 Nov. 2025
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This past summer, the filmmakers embarked on a cross-country tour, meeting with executives at major theater chains to screen the film and outline their marketing and self-distribution strategy.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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We, in collaboration with our partners, store and/or access information on a user's device, including but not limited to IP addresses, unique identifiers, and browsing data stored in cookies, in order to process personal data.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
31 Oct. 2025
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The Federal Reserve has limited penny deliveries to banks and commercial customers, making pennies hard to come by in some parts of the country, Giant Eagle said.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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At first glance, Grace resembles the type of mothers who have become a dominant cinematic presence in recent years—women portrayed as troubled about being a caregiver.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
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There’s no way to trick him into portraying the right levels of fear and anxiety and sadness.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The opening number remains a stunner as choreographer Ellenore Scott finding fresh ways of delineating all the major and minor characters and introducing the tensions that will further tighten throughout the show.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
17 Oct. 2025
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Consistent cadence and properly delineating sentences and statements vastly improve any output the glasses produce.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Define.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/define. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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