delineate
verb
de·lin·eate
di-ˈli-nē-ˌāt 
dē-
delineated; delineating
1
2
a
: to indicate or represent by drawn or painted lines
b
: to mark the outline of
lights delineating the narrow streets
Examples of delineate in a Sentence
He plants his skates millimeters outside the blue-tinted 44-square-foot arena that delineates the crease and refuses to budge …
—
Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated, 21 May 2007
Screenwriter Christopher Hampton introduces a large gallery of characters, subtly delineating the unspoken class biases that will keep Robbie, for all his confidence, charm and Cambridge education, an outsider.
—David Ansen, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2007
So Madrid finally ordered Onís to cut the best deal he could. The resulting Transcontinental (or Adams-Onís) Treaty of 1819 ceded Florida to the United States and delineated the boundary between American and Spanish territory all the way to the Pacific Ocean …
—Walter A. McDougall, Promised Land, Crusader State, 1997
Privacy plays a unique role in American law. Although considered a core value by most citizens, it is not explicitly delineated as a protected right by the U.S. Constitution.
—Edward A. Cavazos et al., Cyberspace and the Law, 1994
The report clearly delineates the steps that must be taken.
The characters in the story were carefully delineated.
Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated, 21 May 2007
Screenwriter Christopher Hampton introduces a large gallery of characters, subtly delineating the unspoken class biases that will keep Robbie, for all his confidence, charm and Cambridge education, an outsider.
—David Ansen, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2007
So Madrid finally ordered Onís to cut the best deal he could. The resulting Transcontinental (or Adams-Onís) Treaty of 1819 ceded Florida to the United States and delineated the boundary between American and Spanish territory all the way to the Pacific Ocean …
—Walter A. McDougall, Promised Land, Crusader State, 1997
Privacy plays a unique role in American law. Although considered a core value by most citizens, it is not explicitly delineated as a protected right by the U.S. Constitution.
—Edward A. Cavazos et al., Cyberspace and the Law, 1994
The report clearly delineates the steps that must be taken.
The characters in the story were carefully delineated.
Recent Examples on the Web
Wide sections of whimsical, floral wallpaper delineate each room.
—Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 26 June 2025
Police tape wrapped around government vehicles delineating an off-limits zone where dozens of federal agents congregated.
—Pedro Rios, Mercury News, 16 June 2025
The first half of Ballerina, which is a real drag, takes us through this origin story while insisting that the essence of the franchise, in addition to nightclub fights and bisexual lighting, is lots of talk about the baroque rules that delineate its underworld of warring criminal clans.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 June 2025
On the continent, specific styles were used to delineate tribes, ethnic groups, and even hierarchical social order within such groups.
—Essence, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for delineate
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Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 26 June 2025
Police tape wrapped around government vehicles delineating an off-limits zone where dozens of federal agents congregated.
—Pedro Rios, Mercury News, 16 June 2025
The first half of Ballerina, which is a real drag, takes us through this origin story while insisting that the essence of the franchise, in addition to nightclub fights and bisexual lighting, is lots of talk about the baroque rules that delineate its underworld of warring criminal clans.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 June 2025
On the continent, specific styles were used to delineate tribes, ethnic groups, and even hierarchical social order within such groups.
—Essence, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for delineate
Cite this Entry
“Delineate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delineate. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
delineate
verb
de·lin·eate
di-ˈlin-ē-ˌāt
delineated; delineating
1
: to indicate by lines : sketch
2
: to describe in sharp or vivid detail
delineate the characters in a story
delineation
noun
-ˌlin-ē-ˈā-shən
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