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

The men on the outrigger platform rushed to grab the spire and align it with the riveting holes to bolt it in place. — Jonathan Schifman, Popular Mechanics, "A Friendship Turned to Rivalry. A Feud That Changed the New York Skyline.," 27 Mar. 2019 His personal popularity somewhat upends the usual red-carpet dynamic, whereby attention-seeking brands dress celebrities to align themselves with a marquee name. — Jacob Gallagher, WSJ, "The Hottest New Fashion Trend for Men Is...Harnesses?," 11 Feb. 2019 Zinke was also happy to align himself with Trump’s other priorities like immigration. — Umair Irfan, Vox, "Ryan Zinke to resign as Interior Secretary at the end of the year," 15 Dec. 2018 The hard-right leaning Herrod is known for his strict stance on immigration and has strongly aligned himself with Trump. — Lindsay Whitehurst, BostonGlobe.com, "Mitt Romney takes on Utah lawmaker in US Senate primary today," 26 June 2018 The work, which Good said would be done in conjunction with the city of Valparaiso, will better align accessible parking with the plaza’s recent renovation. — Amy Lavalley, Post-Tribune, "Porter County Expo Center upgrades expected to begin after county fair," 10 July 2018 Their ideas about the project, though, don’t align. — New York Times, "A Woman Sleeps a Year Away in Ottessa Moshfegh’s Darkly Comic New Novel," 6 July 2018 Aside from the All England Club's placing of Williams, the women's seedings align with the rankings. — Howard Fendrich, Houston Chronicle, "Serena Williams seeded 25th in return to Wimbledon," 27 June 2018 Both the sunrise of the summer solstice and sunset of the winter solstice align with Stonehenge, creating picture-perfect moments for those who travel there to see it. — Gina Martinez, Time, "Today Is the Longest Day of the Year. Here's What to Know About the 2018 Summer Solstice," 21 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.