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
That ability to reframe identity has become one of her defining strengths.
—
Gemma Allen, Forbes.com, 22 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
Held at the Santa Monica Proper Hotel, the evening will feature cocktails and celebrate the managers who helped guide their superstar artists, songwriters and producers through a career-defining year.
—Billboard Staff, Billboard, 21 Jan. 2026
This could be defining a commitment, repairing trusg or realizing someone has quietly been showing up for you all along.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
Sound control has also become a defining feature.
—Matt Emma, USA Today, 14 Jan. 2026
The documentary focuses on the formation of Wings with his wife, Linda McCartney, and the challenges of defining a new musical identity in the 1970s.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 14 Jan. 2026
Gemma Allen, Forbes.com, 22 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
Held at the Santa Monica Proper Hotel, the evening will feature cocktails and celebrate the managers who helped guide their superstar artists, songwriters and producers through a career-defining year.
—Billboard Staff, Billboard, 21 Jan. 2026
This could be defining a commitment, repairing trusg or realizing someone has quietly been showing up for you all along.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
Sound control has also become a defining feature.
—Matt Emma, USA Today, 14 Jan. 2026
The documentary focuses on the formation of Wings with his wife, Linda McCartney, and the challenges of defining a new musical identity in the 1970s.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 14 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
-
There is a difference between describing love and experiencing it.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
-
In their study describing the findings, published in Ecology and Evolution, the authors argue that these later marks are brighter because male deer antlers have fully hardened and their rubs can expose more inner wood.—
Anirban Mukhopadhyay,
Scientific American,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Federal prosecutors reportedly investigated federal contractors that consider diversity, characterizing such initiatives as fraud.—
Spencer Overton,
The Conversation,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Several former heads of the central bank have come out against the move, characterizing it as an attempt to undermine the independence of the Federal Reserve, which is authorized by Congress to set monetary policy independent of the President's wishes.—
Time,
Time,
14 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
-
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
-
In the clip, Charlie can be seen bounding, burrowing and lounging blissfully in the winter powder while bundled up in a blue jacket.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Nov. 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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