DELINEATE Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

delineate

verb

di-ˈli-nē-ˌāt

Definition of delineate

as in to trace

to draw or make apparent the outline of the man's roly-poly shape was softly delineated by the glow of the fire

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to describe

to give a representation or account of in words the story does a remarkable job of delineating the emotions that immigrants feel upon their arrival in a strange country

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 delineate While prosecution witnesses have refused to delineate between the Lachman and Palisades blazes, Haney has repeatedly described them as two distinct incidents that ignited days apart. — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2026 Some of them act as half walls, delineating the foyer, or partially separating the family room from the main salon. — Paola Singer, Architectural Digest, 18 June 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for delineate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for delineate

Verb

Xavi believes this can be traced back to playing with Faustino and his friends.

— Jay Harris, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Caleb traced ingredients, preservation practices and culinary traditions from their native Zimbabwe across southern and central Africa.

— Gerald J. Leonard, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Definition of trace

Verb

Los Angeles Police Department Detective William Roecker also testified Thursday, describing his review of cell-tower data linked to Burke’s phone and location data from his Tesla.

— Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2026
But some members of Juliana’s family question that, and outside experts interviewed by the Observer have described what’s known about the case publicly as suspicious or unusual.

— Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 24 July 2026

Definition of describe

Verb

Two other big decisions – the faith in both Willis and Proctor – will begin to define the new era.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 25 July 2026
Because of his previous felonies, though none for violent crimes, Pfister could now be defined as a habitual offender under Michigan law and faces prison.

— Kyung Lah, CNN Money, 25 July 2026

Definition of define

Verb

The artist duo Motus created the murals in each room to depict the connection between Kabutocho's history and its present, with palettes ranging from spring green to lake blue.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 July 2026
The posting spree began with a post depicting CNN journalist Kaitlan Collins as trans social media star Dylan Muvaney—retreading on a comment the president made during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

— Siladitya Ray, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

Definition of depict

Verb

City outlines Robandee nuisances The Robandee was once a neighborhood hub but has since fallen into disrepair and has experienced fires.

— Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026
Soon after Burke was arrested, prosecutors filed a memo, which the defense unsuccessfully tried to have sealed, outlining their evidence at the hearing.

— Madeline Morrison, NBC news, 22 July 2026

Definition of outline

Verb

Dakota Johnson and Ellen Burstyn will both portray Marilyn Monroe in a new short film, Flesh Impact, which released its first photos.

— Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 28 July 2026
Elsewhere, Washington is portrayed astride a horse or atop a column; shirtless, in classical garb, or, more commonly, in a long coat and tricorn.

— Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 27 July 2026

Definition of portray

Browse Nearby Words

delimits

delineate

delineated

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Delineate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delineate. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of delineate

verb

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