description

Synonym Chooser

How is the word description distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of description are character, kind, nature, sort, and type. While all these words mean "a number of individuals thought of as a group because of a common quality or qualities," description implies a group marked by agreement in all details belonging to a type as described or defined.

not all acts of that description are actually illegal

When might character be a better fit than description?

The meanings of character and description largely overlap; however, character implies a group marked by distinctive likenesses peculiar to the type.

research on the subject so far has been of an elementary character

When could kind be used to replace description?

While the synonyms kind and description are close in meaning, kind may suggest natural grouping.

a zoo seemingly having animals of every kind

When would nature be a good substitute for description?

The words nature and description can be used in similar contexts, but nature may imply inherent, essential resemblance rather than obvious or superficial likenesses.

two problems of a similar nature

When can sort be used instead of description?

In some situations, the words sort and description are roughly equivalent. However, sort often suggests some disparagement.

the sort of newspaper dealing in sensational stories

In what contexts can type take the place of description?

The synonyms type and description are sometimes interchangeable, but type may suggest strong and clearly marked similarity throughout the items included so that each is typical of the group.

one of three basic body types

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 description Google videos created using its own generative AI tools on YouTube automatically have a label in the description. Chloe Veltman, NPR, 3 Oct. 2025 Officers found the man based on a description provided by the 911 caller and commanded him to lie on the ground, Bower said. Wren Smetana, AZCentral.com, 3 Oct. 2025 And that was an accurate description of exactly what happened. Bryan West, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025 Evaluate the Product Description A good description of the product indicates that the vendor is reliable. Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for description
Recent Examples of Synonyms for description
Noun
  • This article discusses Ed Gein’s crimes, as well as transphobic depictions of them on screen.
    Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 7 Oct. 2025
  • So no wonder that his engagement with the human cost of rapid industrialization in early 20th century Bohemia fed into his depiction in the novel of social conditions in robber-baron America.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The same could be said of Piccioli, whose muses include the French actor Isabelle Huppert — portraits of whom were shared as a teaser prior to the show.
    Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025
  • On Instagram through the years, he's shared many glimpses into that time in his life, from school portraits and prom pics to Christmas memories and beyond.
    Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 5 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Fireworks or incendiary devices of any kind.
    Haadiza Ogwude, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Sirras said that award looks to be the first of its kind, and the board likely offered it to Nejatian because of a blessing from Opendoor’s cofounders, Eric Wu and Khosla Ventures’ Keith Rabois.
    Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In 1991, Routledge won a British Comedy Award for her portrayal as Bucket, and she was later nominated for two BAFTA TV Awards in 1992 and 1993.
    Alex Ritman, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
  • The Dahmer series received 19 Primetime Emmy nominations, with Niecy Nash winning for best supporting actress in a limited or anthology series or movie for her portrayal of Glenda Cleveland, the Milwaukee woman who tried to get police to investigate Dahmer.
    JR Radcliffe, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The real brush fire in question took place in the spring (not the winter, as portrayed on the show), and fires of that sort were common.
    JR Radcliffe, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
  • These strategies – called selection sort and shaker sort – are typically studied in computer science.
    Celeste Kidd, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • At the core of the GOP’s shutdown argument is painting a grim picture of any non-citizen receiving any government benefit.
    David Weigel, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2025
  • My adoptive parents had refused to allow contact or send pictures, and didn’t tell me about her attempt to communicate with us for years after the fact.
    Nicole Chung, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Another perk is its attention to design, with two minimal pattern options (a stripe and a swirl) that feel like a gorgeous blank slate compared to other squares of colored fabric that bill themselves as bath mats.
    Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 7 Oct. 2025
  • The pillows are plush, hypoallergenic, and feature a damask stripe pattern for an elevated look.
    Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Haberman recommended defining freestanding birthing centers in the local Land Development Code — pulling the definition from the new state law — and placing the centers under the umbrella of medical clinics.
    Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Prenups force couples to agree on that definition, perhaps even setting terms for an open marriage or other relationship boundaries.
    Julia Rodgers, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Description.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/description. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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