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 idea for the garden began with a city grant awarded to the school's science teacher, Cindy Scognamillo, who said the effort aligns with a larger initiative. —Hannah Kliger, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026

Dillihay will explore the creative decision-making, cultural perspective, and collaborative leadership required to bring the project to life – from guiding story and shaping performances to aligning hundreds of artists and technicians behind one cohesive vision. —Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026

Player news becomes national news, entire communities grind to a halt to watch games, and shops post unusual hours that suspiciously align with the match schedule. —Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 16 Apr. 2026

This plan is meant to align with a state requirement that local governments maintain climate adaptation and resiliency strategies in their general plans. —Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 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
• byline
• canine
• carbine

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