1
as in to depict
to give a representation or account of in words
he tried to describe the dream he had last night as accurately as he could
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to tell
to give an oral or written account of in some detail
a biography of Washington that describes the decisive Battle of Yorktown at great length
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to characterize
to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group
how would you describe the Inupiat people you encountered in Alaska?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of describe
Chinese media described the process as a closed system in which flue gas enters one end of the pipeline and fertiliser emerges from the other.
—
Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 17 May 2026
Calvert-Lewin’s recall to the England squad in March was described as an emotional moment for those names at the top of the club who had pitched that vision last August.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 17 May 2026
In a 2025 study published in Personal Relationships that examines dishonesty in romantic relationships, researchers found that people most commonly described their lies as protective in nature.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Mattana described scenarios where several frames in the same home could coordinate together.
—Joe Salas
may 17, New Atlas, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for describe
Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 17 May 2026
Calvert-Lewin’s recall to the England squad in March was described as an emotional moment for those names at the top of the club who had pitched that vision last August.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 17 May 2026
In a 2025 study published in Personal Relationships that examines dishonesty in romantic relationships, researchers found that people most commonly described their lies as protective in nature.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Mattana described scenarios where several frames in the same home could coordinate together.
—Joe Salas
may 17, New Atlas, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for describe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for describe
Verb
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What is depicted in these pages is beyond human comprehension.—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
14 May 2026
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The Goya frescoes depicting the miracle of Saint Anthony of Padua, painted in 1789, are a prime example of the artist’s revolutionary style.—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
14 May 2026
Verb
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For one, tech behemoth Microsoft reported better-than-expected quarterly results recently and told investors that capital expenditures for the year will reach $190 billion due to soaring memory costs.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
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Two Game 7 victories for Cleveland tells me this team is not going to get rattled.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Verb
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In the past couple of decades, however, Czernowin has deëmphasized the frantic gesturing that characterizes so much latter-day modernism.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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On March 23, 20 states and the District of Columbia sued the USDA to block the new terms for receiving federal funding, which the states characterized as coercive.—
Chiara Eisner,
NPR,
17 May 2026
Verb
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The show has a bootstrappy vibe in which individual grit and self-belief are portrayed as the keys to success.—
Julie Beck,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
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But in a March 19 response to the plaintiffs’ demand letter, according to the AP's reporting, Leita Walker, an attorney for Artists Equity, said that the film does not intend to tell the true story of that incident or to portray real people.—
Sarah Perkel,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Montebello Police Chief Luis Lopez believes the incident was domestic violence-related, according to statements obtained by both KTLA and ABC 7.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
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Some of these are really foreign policy related, where the president and President Xi both agreed that the goal on the Korean peninsula remains denuclearization.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 May 2026
Verb
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The best bits of Body of Work are defined by the ideas that don’t center Skeletrix in the frame, the half-thoughts and thorny passages that breeze past if you aren’t locked in.—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
15 May 2026
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While World Cup organizers are heavily promoting certain songs, Herrera says many others will be vying to define the tournament this year.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Another viral pro-Pratt ad, not produced by Pratt’s own campaign, best illustrates the perils of populist-right energy.—
Conor Friedersdorf,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
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Principles of Scientific Management’s success illustrates the utility, and the power, of the appearance of empiricism.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, Associated Press journalists in Ituri’s capital, Bunia, interviewed locals who recounted their fears and constant burials.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
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In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter's executive awards editor Scott Feinberg on his podcast, Awards Chatter, the 65-year-old actress recounted one particularly tense moment on set involving co-creator Larry David and executives from production company Castle Rock.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Describe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/describe. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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