definition

noun

ˌde-fə-ˈni-shən How to pronounce definition (audio)
Definition of definitionnext
as in description
a vivid representation in words of someone or something he gave us his definition of the perfect romantic evening on the town

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example 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 definition The definition excludes organizations that are an institutional part of a foreign government or wholly operated under a foreign government's direction. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Aug. 2026 Rooms Perhaps the very definition of beach chic, the 53 guest rooms are joyful and bright, with natural textures, pops of color, local art, and plenty of windows. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Aug. 2026 There is no single definition of what AI literacy means, or how it should be taught. — ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026 One of the common themes was the definition of operational needs — a crucial definition to the union’s RTO argument. — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for definition
Recent Examples of Synonyms for definition
  1. description
  2. portrait
  3. depiction
  4. portrayal
Noun
  • On the page, Hig’s first-person descriptions of his everyday adventures, and of the waning natural world around him, had an honest, melancholy soul to them.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
  • She was stunned how closely autism’s description fit her creative, sensitive girl — her strong need for routine, social anxiety, challenges with communication and sensory processing.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of description
Noun
  • Other works set to screen at the BFI include several of Maldoror’s non-fiction films, like Aimé Césaire, A Man, A Land, a documentary portrait of the Martinican author Aimé Césaire.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The story begins as a richly detailed portrait of a woman who quietly accepts her role as the wife of a man who doesn’t recognize her value.
    — Ed Masley, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of portrait
Noun
  • On one wall, the ambassador installed Marc Lipp’s Fight Fight Fight, a depiction of Trump with a bloody ear and raised fist painted by one of the president’s favorite Palm Beach watercolorists.
    — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
  • In her depiction of the exhausting vigilance this reality required, through a second-person voice cannily implicating her reader, Rankine created a new language to identify a problem as old as the United States.
    — Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of depiction
Noun
  • Continue reading … AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ – Test yourself on presidential portrayals and summer sips.
    — , FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Her nuanced portrayal has given neurodivergent viewers a rare chance to see their own experiences authentically reflected onscreen, while bringing greater visibility and understanding to a community long saddled with Hollywood stereotypes.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of portrayal

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Cite this Entry

“Definition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/definition. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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