align

verb

\ ə-ˈlīn

variants: or less commonly aline

aligned also alined; aligning also alining; aligns also alines

Definition of align

transitive verb

1 : to bring into line or alignment aligned the books on the shelf

2 : to array on the side of or against a party or cause He aligned himself with the protesters.

intransitive verb

1 : to get or fall into line He aligned with his friends against a common enemy.

2 : to be in or come into precise adjustment or correct relative position Negative ends of molecules align with positive ends of other molecules.

Other Words from align More Example Sentences Learn More about align

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Examples of align in a Sentence

He aligned the two holes so he could put the screw through them. The two parts of the machine are not properly aligned. The text aligns with the bottom of the picture. The schools had to align their programs with state requirements. She is aligning with other senators to oppose his nomination.

Recent Examples on the Web

When the sun, Earth and the moon are aligned, Earth casts a shadow that projects out into the shape of an imaginary cone. — Denise Chow /, NBC News, "Total lunar eclipse will turn the moon blood red later this month," 13 July 2018 The authors concluded that the nanotubes in the bundles weren't aligned along their lengths, so there were some that bulged out a bit and others that were shorter. — John Timmer, Ars Technica, "Forget carbon fiber—we can now make carbon nanotube fibers," 15 May 2018 Officials said that system helped speed boarding somewhat, but train doors did not always align with the tape. — Adam Vaccaro, BostonGlobe.com, "MBTA wants to put barriers, doors on subway platforms," 5 July 2018 America’s story had always closely aligned with that of Exodus—the tale of a people who left behind an oppressive Old World to enter a wilderness and ultimately build a divinely inspired, promised land. — John F. Ross, Smithsonian, "The Visionary John Wesley Powell Had a Plan for Developing the West, But Nobody Listened," 3 July 2018 Media members and Hollywood are in crisis mode at the thought of President Trump selecting a Supreme Court justice who doesn’t align with their liberal agenda. — Brian Flood, Fox News, "Media, Hollywood in crisis mode over Justice Kennedy's retirement: 'Trump is disgusting and inhumane'," 28 June 2018 Recent reports of families being separated are disheartening and do not align with Delta's core values. — CBS News, "DHS says airlines are "buckling to a false media narrative" amid border policy debate," 20 June 2018 Recent reports of families being separated are disheartening and do not align with Delta’s core values. — Condé Nast Traveler, "U.S. Airlines Jump into Immigration Debate, Say They Won't Fly Children Separated from Parents," 20 June 2018 In the same period market movements have become more closely aligned internationally. — The Economist, "Rate rises affect global markets—and may feed back to America," 14 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'align.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.