paint

verb

\ ˈpānt

painted; painting; paints

Definition of paint

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a(1) : to apply color, pigment, or paint to

(2) : to color with a cosmetic

b(1) : to apply with a movement resembling that used in painting

(2) : to treat with a liquid by brushing or swabbing paint the wound with iodine

2a(1) : to produce in lines and colors on a surface by applying pigments

(2) : to depict by such lines and colors

b : to decorate, adorn, or variegate by applying lines and colors

c : to produce or evoke as if by painting paints glowing pictures of the farm

3 : to touch up or cover over by or as if by painting

4 : to depict as having specified or implied characteristics paints them whiter than the evidence justifies— Oliver La Farge

intransitive verb

1 : to practice the art of painting

2 : to use cosmetics

paint

noun

Definition of paint (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : the action of painting : something produced by painting

2 : makeup especially : a cosmetic to add color

3a(1) : a mixture of a pigment and a suitable liquid to form a closely adherent coating when spread on a surface in a thin coat

(2) : the pigment used in this mixture especially when in the form of a cake a box of paints

b : an applied coating of paint

4 or paint horse : a horse marked with patches of white and another color : pinto specifically : american paint horse

5 : free throw lane

6 : color manipulation on a computer screen in a manner reminiscent of painting —usually used before another noun a paint program

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Examples of paint in a Sentence

Verb

I need to paint the bookcase. We're going to paint the room yellow. The classroom wall was painted with clouds and rainbows. He painted that portrait of his wife. She painted the landscape on a square canvas. I like to draw and my sister likes to paint. The beauty of the world inspires me to paint. He paints mostly in oils. The study paints a bleak picture of the effects of pollution on animal life.

Noun

Apply paint to the canvas in a series of short strokes. I need more blue paint. The old walls are coated with several layers of paint. a can of latex paint The house needs a fresh coat of paint. The store sells many different paints. Did you chip the paint? The car's paint is cracking.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The green neon sign out front is the original, Lanny says, though it’s been painted a few times. — star-telegram, "A day in the life of Joe T. Garcia's," 11 July 2018 Then the young people take part in tasks such as ruffle-making, painting the clothes, customizing, or a styling workshop. — Laird Borrelli-persson, Vogue, "“It’s Called Ffasiwn” Is a Photography Exhibition That Challenges Assumptions About Status and Style," 25 Mar. 2019 One commenter said Home Depot doesn't actually paint the plants themselves, but rather sells the plants on consignment from vendors. — Elizabeth Gulino, House Beautiful, "You Can Now Buy Succulents in Every Color of the Rainbow," 25 Mar. 2019 Researcher: 20,000 employees had access Krebs paints a different story. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Facebook passwords for hundreds of millions of users were exposed to Facebook employees," 21 Mar. 2019 All told, Brown’s extensive reporting paints a picture that’s all too common: a rich and well-connected man manipulating the legal system to protect himself. — Jane Coaston, Vox, "Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who is friends with Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, explained," 22 Feb. 2019 The paintings first started in the 1800s when women in the village painted floral displays to cover up the soot caused by smoky stoves. — Megan Barber, Curbed, "The 25 most colorful cities in the world," 19 Feb. 2019 Lady Gaga, her amazing Valentino dress that was an homage to Judy Garland, and Carino painted the town red. — Samantha Leach, Glamour, "Lady Gaga's Fiancé Posted a Rare Shot of Their Intimate Post-Golden Globes Celebration," 7 Jan. 2019 Jolie's famous pout is painted a vibrant shade of red. — Nicole Saunders, Harper's BAZAAR, "Angelina Jolie Looks Both Terrifying and Beautiful in the New Maleficent Poster and I'm Shook," 7 Mar. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

When painting or refinishing pieces, choose a product that's designed to prevent mold, like Zinsser's paint primer. — Sara Rodrigues, House Beautiful, "How to Remove Mold From Wood Furniture and Particle Board," 9 Apr. 2019 The details of the Sun's report paint quite an idyllic picture. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "Kensington Palace Declines to Comment on Rumors of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Babymoon," 5 Apr. 2019 The two and their childhood friend Hesam Rahmanian collage and paint over images from television news and internet feeds to make haunting, psychedelic images that feel deeper and truer than the source material. — The Seattle Times, "Look Ahead: The hottest Seattle events for April 2019," 5 Apr. 2019 Joey, our eight-year-old, applied a coat of primer, and over the next two days followed up with bright boat paint. — Popular Mechanics, "To Install a Pull-Up Bar, We Built a Surfboard," 23 Mar. 2019 But foreplay doesn't have to be quite so paint-by-the-numbers. — Suzannah Weiss, Glamour, "17 Foreplay Tips & Ideas You'll Be Dying to Try," 18 Jan. 2019 One night, Miles’ uncle Aaron (Mahershala Ali from Moonlight and the recent Green Book) takes him to a hidden tunnel in the subway system to spray-paint a mural, and Miles is bitten by a mysterious spider. — Bryan Bishop, The Verge, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is dazzling, hilarious, and unique," 14 Dec. 2018 Legend has it that local fisherman liked to see the bright colors on their way into town, and the residents also use the bright paint to delineate where one property begins and ends. — Megan Barber, Curbed, "The 25 most colorful cities in the world," 19 Feb. 2019 The light was so intense that the paint scorched and smoked And almost ignited ! — Blake Bakkila, Good Housekeeping, "Martha Stewart Posts Terrifying Photos After Her Makeup Mirror Almost "Ignited" Her Bathroom," 7 Jan. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'paint.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.