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 On the images from Eddington’s and Dyson’s expeditions, the stars were not aligned. Rebecca Boyle, TIME, 8 Apr. 2024 You’re filled with creative inspo as the moon and Venus align. USA TODAY, 7 Apr. 2024 During a lunar eclipse, like the one that appeared over much of the Western hemisphere in late March, all three align with Earth sandwiched in between. Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2024 The editorial aligns the magazine with the Democratic grandees in the U.S. Senate against the civil-rights movement then emerging. Neal B. Freeman, National Review, 7 Apr. 2024 On April 8, the stars (and sun and moon) are aligning for a rare event: a total solar eclipse. Anna Luisa Rodriguez, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024 Immigration policy is closely aligned with eugenic principles which support social stratification and reject basic human rights. Giorgi Minasovi and Jonathan Jk Stoltman, STAT, 5 Apr. 2024 Like lunar eclipses, solar eclipses align with the moon’s nodes, invisible points in the solar system where the sun’s ecliptic and the moon’s orbital path intersect. Emily Newhouse, Allure, 5 Apr. 2024 Astronomers closely observed the Sun and aligned monumental structures, such as pyramids, to track solstices and equinoxes. Kimberly H. Breuer, Discover Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'align.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of align was circa 1693

Dictionary Entries Near align

Cite this Entry

“Align.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/align. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

align

verb
variants also aline
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

More from Merriam-Webster on align

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!