1
as in to depict
to give a representation or account of in words
he tried to describe the dream he had last night as accurately as he could
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to tell
to give an oral or written account of in some detail
a biography of Washington that describes the decisive Battle of Yorktown at great length
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to characterize
to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group
how would you describe the Inupiat people you encountered in Alaska?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of describe
From the perspective of the atmosphere, the last decade could accurately be described as a slow-moving fever dream — one in which pollution from fossil fuels has continued to rise year after year.
—
John D. Sutter, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
The topic of High School Musical popped up at the CFDA Fashion Awards when Withers was describing his personal style using only one song.
—Brian Anthony Hernandez, PEOPLE, 9 Nov. 2025
Transportation officials have described the FAA flight cancellations as akin to those caused by a midsize winter storm.
—Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
That sentiment is echoed by the United Nations, which has described the country's civil war as the most devastating humanitarian crisis in the world.
—NPR, 8 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for describe
John D. Sutter, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
The topic of High School Musical popped up at the CFDA Fashion Awards when Withers was describing his personal style using only one song.
—Brian Anthony Hernandez, PEOPLE, 9 Nov. 2025
Transportation officials have described the FAA flight cancellations as akin to those caused by a midsize winter storm.
—Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
That sentiment is echoed by the United Nations, which has described the country's civil war as the most devastating humanitarian crisis in the world.
—NPR, 8 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for describe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for describe
Verb
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The heritage brand unveiled the Lee x Mighty Jaxx collection, an assortment of tees, shorts and a 9-inch figurine that depict Buddy Lee in Freeny’s signature XXRay aesthetic.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
6 Nov. 2025
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The video depicts a surreal world where a young man begins seeing the colorful patterns and iconography, like Swedish fish and other candies, that dedicated Candy Crush players will no doubt recognize.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The judge also noted she had not previously been told a mechanic had worked on the car, and also the government has given at least two different accounts of who approved the car’s removal to Maine.—
Omar Jimenez,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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While many people might rush to see a doctor after such a discovery, Farrington put it off, telling herself that the lump would disappear naturally.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Steering away from the Banda music that has characterized her sound and biggest hits, the Mexican-American singer experiments with reggae, R&B, and folk cumbia on this eight-track set that also includes powerful audio affirmations by the singer.—
Jessica Roiz,
Billboard,
8 Nov. 2025
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The two-hour-plus interview was characterized by Carlson’s failure to directly challenge Fuentes’s points.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Nov. 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 veteran forward related the transition to his own early years, when the Seattle SuperSonics (now Oklahoma City Thunder) moved him from a frontcourt scorer to a perimeter creator.—
Grant Afseth,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
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No, the two American actresses are not related.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Millennials, typically defined as individuals born between the early 1980s and the mid-1990s, are now at a point in their lives where their generational nostalgia is front and center.—
Saba Hamedy,
NBC news,
7 Nov. 2025
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The next two years will test how well Republicans can walk that line, using Mamdani to define the left without letting Newsom define himself.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Emailing or texting similar job postings can help to illustrate what an IT pro is looking for.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
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The exchange illustrated that tensions remain high in Congress as the government shutdown continues into its 37th day.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Johnson recounted what was going through his mind at the time of the mix-up, noting that a photograph shows his shocked face.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
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And Mohammed, a 65-year-old man from El Fasher, recounted leaving the city at dawn and passing through numerous checkpoints.—
Guy Davies,
ABC News,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Describe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/describe. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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