described; describing
1
: to represent or give an account of in words
describe a picture
The police asked her to describe the thief.
The article describes how the experiment was done.
There were so many things he wanted to describe …—
James Joyce
James Joyce2
: to represent by a figure, model, or picture : delineate
described in her paintings what she saw from her window
3
obsolete
: distribute
4
: to trace or traverse the outline of
describe a circle
describer
noun
Examples of describe in a Sentence
The witness wasn't able to describe the robber.
He described the house in perfect detail.
The article describes how the experiment was done.
She described watching dolphins play beside the ship.
Please describe what happened next.
Can you describe the lost dog to me?
She used a stick to describe a circle on the ground.
Recent Examples on the Web
Weekly Newsletter While urban planners often describe public space as idealistic and free of conflict, true publicness is far from utopian.
—JSTOR Daily, 14 Nov. 2025
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) released photos showing one drone lodged in a tree, described by analysts as resembling a South Korean military unmanned aerial vehicle.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 14 Nov. 2025
The invitees give each other hints to describe the secret word, hints that make sense to everyone who knows the secret word but will confuse the outsider.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 13 Nov. 2025
The Drone Advocacy Alliance, which describes itself as a grassroots advocacy coalition (and includes DJI as a member), is urging drone owners to contact their congressional representatives and senators.
—PC Magazine, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for describe
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JSTOR Daily, 14 Nov. 2025
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) released photos showing one drone lodged in a tree, described by analysts as resembling a South Korean military unmanned aerial vehicle.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 14 Nov. 2025
The invitees give each other hints to describe the secret word, hints that make sense to everyone who knows the secret word but will confuse the outsider.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 13 Nov. 2025
The Drone Advocacy Alliance, which describes itself as a grassroots advocacy coalition (and includes DJI as a member), is urging drone owners to contact their congressional representatives and senators.
—PC Magazine, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for describe
Cite this Entry
“Describe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/describe. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
describe
verb
de·scribe
di-ˈskrīb 
described; describing
1
: to represent or give an account of in words
2
: to trace the outline of
describe a circle
describer
noun
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