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
His attorneys describe a man who grew up in the '80s and '90s in the lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, a notoriously violent place where prostitution, drugs, and murders ran rampant.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 12 Feb. 2026
Enthusiasts like Biffle, Moon, and McKay describe the coaster as a gem in metro Atlanta, where riders can take advantage of a world-class ride at a smaller park without the long lines.
—Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026
The leisure and hospitality sector added only 1,000 jobs in January, which many economists have described in recent months as something that would be a red flag given how reliant the industry is on consumer spending.
—Steve Kopack, NBC news, 11 Feb. 2026
In a recent interview, Fennell described the film’s restraint as an acknowledgment that her interpretation could never capture the depths of Brontë’s masterwork.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for describe
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 12 Feb. 2026
Enthusiasts like Biffle, Moon, and McKay describe the coaster as a gem in metro Atlanta, where riders can take advantage of a world-class ride at a smaller park without the long lines.
—Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026
The leisure and hospitality sector added only 1,000 jobs in January, which many economists have described in recent months as something that would be a red flag given how reliant the industry is on consumer spending.
—Steve Kopack, NBC news, 11 Feb. 2026
In a recent interview, Fennell described the film’s restraint as an acknowledgment that her interpretation could never capture the depths of Brontë’s masterwork.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 11 Feb. 2026
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 Feb. 2026.
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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