1
as in tracing
to draw or make apparent the outline of
the glass skyscraper's sleek silhouette was strikingly defined by the setting sun to its west
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in describing
to mark the limits of
the river defines the town on the south
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in characterizing
to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group
a woman who is defined by her unswerving loyalty to her friends
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in specifying
to give the rules about (something) clearly and exactly
let me define the task so that there is no doubt in your minds about what needs to be done
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defining
Cooperation will remain the defining test.
—
Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
In Hollywood, where perception is everything, that narrative risks defining him permanently.
—Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026
The career-defining move crystallized a journey that began a decade prior.
—Deasia Paige, AJC.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Crocs is hoping to reintroduce itself with the launch of a new global brand campaign aimed at defining its next chapter.
—Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 28 Jan. 2026
That’s just one example of a defining life moment that’s happened at their business.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 28 Jan. 2026
Named after a now-defunct Houston theme park, Astroworld was both intimate and engineered for scale, marking the culmination of Scott’s early ascent and establishing him as one of the defining rap artists of his era.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 21 Jan. 2026
This is our defining economic corridor.
—Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 21 Jan. 2026
For many gold bulls, geopolitics remains the defining backdrop.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 21 Jan. 2026
Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
In Hollywood, where perception is everything, that narrative risks defining him permanently.
—Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026
The career-defining move crystallized a journey that began a decade prior.
—Deasia Paige, AJC.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Crocs is hoping to reintroduce itself with the launch of a new global brand campaign aimed at defining its next chapter.
—Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 28 Jan. 2026
That’s just one example of a defining life moment that’s happened at their business.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 28 Jan. 2026
Named after a now-defunct Houston theme park, Astroworld was both intimate and engineered for scale, marking the culmination of Scott’s early ascent and establishing him as one of the defining rap artists of his era.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 21 Jan. 2026
This is our defining economic corridor.
—Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 21 Jan. 2026
For many gold bulls, geopolitics remains the defining backdrop.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 21 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defining
Verb
-
Directed by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio, the two-part documentary explores the fascinating, hilarious, and often heartbreaking life story of one of Hollywood’s most daring satirists, tracing how laughter became Brooks’ lifelong survival tool.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The newest Paul McCartney documentary takes fans on a ride of his creative rebirth in the years following the breakup of The Beatles, tracing his transition from one of the most famous musicians in the world to an artist rebuilding himself on his own terms.—
Charlie Vargas,
Oc Register,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The paper describing the system has been published in the journal Radiation Measurements, and is open access so that others may benefit from the findings.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
28 Jan. 2026
-
But O'Hara said he's seen no evidence that Pretti brandished a weapon, describing him as someone who appeared to be lawfully recording law enforcement activity while legally carrying a firearm.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Conservatives, currently led by Kemi Badenoch, slammed Braverman following her defection, characterizing her as an inevitable turncoat and questioning her mental faculties.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Federal prosecutors reportedly investigated federal contractors that consider diversity, characterizing such initiatives as fraud.—
Spencer Overton,
The Conversation,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Include your name, phone number and email address specifying February Writing Workshop.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Putting the murder shortlist in one person’s hands, rather than letting the shields do the work of specifying who can be killed off, is a major change that gives the Secret Traitor a ton of power without a ton of explanation for their thinking.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In his annual letter to the YouTube community outlining 2026 priorities, Mohan said that on average, more than 1 million channels used YouTube’s AI creation tools daily in December.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
21 Jan. 2026
-
At the midway point, Redick is only outlining a hope.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Mars is bounding into your partnership zone, which invites assertive boundary talks that protect your generous spirit while keeping agreements fair for all involved parties.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Jan. 2026
-
There might be nothing more adorable than the sight of a fluffy puppy or kitten bounding around the corner to surprise its new owner.—
Terry Ward,
USA Today,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Rhodes has been a babyface—effectively portraying this same character—dating back to when AEW opened its doors in 2019.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
-
After portraying Olympic-level rivals on screen, Storrie and Williams will have the opportunity to play a role in the real-life Games.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The practice is supposedly diverting capital away from construction, limiting the number of homes changing hands and crowding out owner-occupiers.—
Veronique De Rugy,
Oc Register,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Under the new agreement, brand-limiting NCAA punishments against any of those three programs would trigger the same 30% reduction, while men’s hockey would be subject to a smaller, 20% cut.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defining. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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