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
Relevance
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
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
The Senate is expected to ramp up efforts this fall to pass a bill delineating oversight of the crypto market — the crown jewel of digital asset legislation.
—
Julia Shapero, The Hill, 9 Sep. 2025
Trading behemoth Citadel Securities raised its concerns about the potential for regulatory arbitrage if the SEC doesn’t delineate clear rules for companies that want to tokenize assets to follow.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2025
And, without needing to preach, Preparation for the Next Life delineates the limits of immigrants reaching for solidarity from white Americans who may be experiencing their own hardships, but who are never going to be in danger of being deported.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
For a while, that was federally protected—the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act has for decades delineated that Friday was for high school football, Saturday was for college and Sunday was for the NFL.
—Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for delineate
Julia Shapero, The Hill, 9 Sep. 2025
Trading behemoth Citadel Securities raised its concerns about the potential for regulatory arbitrage if the SEC doesn’t delineate clear rules for companies that want to tokenize assets to follow.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2025
And, without needing to preach, Preparation for the Next Life delineates the limits of immigrants reaching for solidarity from white Americans who may be experiencing their own hardships, but who are never going to be in danger of being deported.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
For a while, that was federally protected—the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act has for decades delineated that Friday was for high school football, Saturday was for college and Sunday was for the NFL.
—Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for delineate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for delineate
Verb
-
In a study published in Cell, researchers set out to trace the microbial companions of mammoths across a staggering timeline, from over a million years ago to their final days on Wrangel Island just 4,000 years ago.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Spanning seven decades, this epic drama traces the hopes and heartaches of one uprooted family, revealing not only the scars of displacement, but the unbreakable spirit of survival.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
These are not only crafts -- they are described here as arts.—
Dada Jovanovic,
ABC News,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Construction in the section of Jackson Park, often described as Chicago’s equivalent of Central Park, has been slow.—
Christine Valora,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Great Recession stands as the generation’s defining economic event.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
27 Sep. 2025
-
Saudis studying abroad lose the subtleties of the language and miss out on the culture, memes, and everything else that defines this generation.—
Manal Albarakati,
semafor.com,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Other Arizonans at the time voiced similar concerns of being depicted as rednecks and hillbillies.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
25 Sep. 2025
-
In cathedral-worthy glory, the work rose six meters, depicting a surreal celestial sky with 12 levitating apples.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The assessment by the Washington, DC think tank outlined how Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SCNC) had directed military and civilian officials to designate successors in the event of leadership disruption to ensure continuation in the event of war.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
OpenAI's 120-day plan In a blog post, OpenAI outlined steps to strengthen protections.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Fonzi’s second directorial outing tells the gripping story of Julieta, a young woman imprisoned after suffering a miscarriage, and Soledad Deza (portrayed by Fonzi herself), the courageous lawyer who dares to fight for justice in this deeply controversial and high-stakes case.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Both women played Effie White, with Holliday portraying the role first on Broadway, earning her a Grammy and Tony.—
Mya Abraham,
VIBE.com,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Delineate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delineate. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share