Synonyms of delineate

delineate

verb

di-ˈli-nē-ˌāt 

1

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

• trace
• define
• outline
• sketch
• surround
• trim
• circle
• bound
• silhouette
• round
• line
• margin
• draw
• fringe
• encircle
• frame
• rim
• edge
• loop
• hem
• chart
• ring
• skirt
• map (out)
• compass
• diagram
• girth
• girdle

2

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

• describe
• depict
• portray
• characterize
• render
• define
• paint
• illustrate
• set out
• represent
• sketch
• limn
• draw
• outline
• summarize
• image
• picture
• relate
• demonstrate
• recount
• tell
• suggest
• show
• qualify
• display
• narrate
• trace
• report
• exhibit
• label
• recite
• hint
• rehearse
• sum up
• draft
• redescribe
• vignette
• silhouette
• touch off
• reimage

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• distort
• misrepresent
• falsify
• color
• misstate
• warp
• twist
• pervert
• misdescribe
• garble

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of delineate

The magnetic pull for those whose ultimate prize is privacy and connection to nature is towards gardens, forests, fields and beachfronts that stretch into the distance, delineating possibilities. — Nielsen Dinwoodie, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026

Short dramas are about big emotions and dramatic reversals; the heroes and villains are generally clearly delineated. — Lavender Au, The Dial, 30 June 2026

By 1962, Jaray was making hard-edge abstract paintings that conjured architectural structures or details; delineated with masking tape and executed without visible brush strokes, they were carefully plotted out through multiple preliminary drawings, and in later years, on a computer. — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 25 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