align

verb

ə-ˈlīn 

variants or less commonly aline

aligned also alined; aligning also alining; aligns also alines

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.

aligner noun

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 move came after Black Democrats aligned with white Republican legislators to convince a federal court to create three congressional districts to elect the state’s first Black member of Congress since 1876. — Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026

His personal and professional arcs don’t have to align with any logic. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 July 2026

The new schedule aligns with the National Women’s Soccer League, smoothing the process for player loans. — Idaho Statesman, 16 July 2026

Some medical and health advocates argue that the human body's internal clock is better aligned with the sun during standard time rather than daylight saving time. — Yonat Shimron, NPR, 16 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

French aligner, from Old French, from a- (from Latin ad-) + ligne line, from Latin linea

First Known Use

circa 1693, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing align

• align oneself with

Rhymes for align

• affine
• airline
• aline
• assign
• baseline
• beamline
• benign
• bloodline
• bovine
• brucine
• byline
• canine

Kids Definition

align

verb

variants also aline

ə-ˈlīn 

1

: to bring into or be in line or alignment

2

: to cause to be for or against something (as a belief or political party)

aligned himself with the opposition

aligner noun