description

Synonym Chooser

How is the word description distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of description are character, kind, nature, sort, and type. While all these words mean "a number of individuals thought of as a group because of a common quality or qualities," description implies a group marked by agreement in all details belonging to a type as described or defined.

not all acts of that description are actually illegal

When might character be a better fit than description?

The meanings of character and description largely overlap; however, character implies a group marked by distinctive likenesses peculiar to the type.

research on the subject so far has been of an elementary character

When could kind be used to replace description?

While the synonyms kind and description are close in meaning, kind may suggest natural grouping.

a zoo seemingly having animals of every kind

When would nature be a good substitute for description?

The words nature and description can be used in similar contexts, but nature may imply inherent, essential resemblance rather than obvious or superficial likenesses.

two problems of a similar nature

When can sort be used instead of description?

In some situations, the words sort and description are roughly equivalent. However, sort often suggests some disparagement.

the sort of newspaper dealing in sensational stories

In what contexts can type take the place of description?

The synonyms type and description are sometimes interchangeable, but type may suggest strong and clearly marked similarity throughout the items included so that each is typical of the group.

one of three basic body types

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of description Authorities were able to retrieve camera footage from the parking lot of the school, which showed a vehicle matching the description of Fernandes’ car arriving just before 8 p.m., the warrant affidavit said. Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 24 May 2025 The Police Department did not have any suspect description to release. Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 23 May 2025 At least, that’s what Anthropic’s AI safety-test descriptions call to mind. Michael Barclay, Quartz, 23 May 2025 This story contains graphic descriptions that some readers may find disturbing. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for description
Recent Examples of Synonyms for description
Noun
  • The documentary style in underground cinema, handheld cameras, the use of non-professional actors, and the unfiltered depiction of real life is not dissimilar to the lyrical and auditory structures of Persian rap.
    Ali Farahmand, IndieWire, 23 May 2025
  • While that sounds like a pretty straightforward set up, there are plenty of dark twists and turns, including a chilling depiction of the aftermath of physical abuse.
    James Factora, Them., 22 May 2025
Noun
  • Monumental staircases, fountains, friezes and portraits quietly transformed the Oasi Zegna landscape into a living museum, according to the company.
    Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 27 May 2025
  • Inside the lobby, a large portrait of DeSantis is prominently displayed next to framed pictures of former Florida governors.
    Ana Ceballos, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 May 2025
Noun
  • The front office and coaching staff can probably pencil Bobby McMann into a third-line left wing position and Scott Laughton into a fourth-line role of some kind.
    Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 31 May 2025
  • The agreement was reached after Trump slapped sky-high tariffs on imports from China into the U.S., and China retaliated in kind.
    Dan Mangan, CNBC, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • Swit won two Emmys for her portrayal of the Army nurse — she was nominated 10 times, every year the show was on the air except the first — and appeared on 240 of the series’ 251 episodes during its sensational 11-season run.
    Lisa de los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 30 May 2025
  • Felicity Huffman, who starred in the series as Lynette Scavo, earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and nominations for three Golden Globe Awards for her portrayal.
    DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 29 May 2025
Noun
  • The appointment is a homecoming of sorts for Kehoe, 70, who in the early ’90s served as the office’s second-in-command.
    Dan Sullivan, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 May 2025
  • The piece boasted a large, full train, the sort that would likely not have been acceptable at the Cannes Film Festival that recently ended.
    Mikelle Street, Footwear News, 26 May 2025
Noun
  • In the joint post, the couple shared several pictures of themselves with their 2½-year-old son Merrick Avery.
    Kayla Grant, People.com, 23 May 2025
  • The strike notice followed an industrial inquiry commission report on the negotiations that painted a bleak picture of Canada Post’s financial health.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • The yellow-green trout featured a red stripe on its side and a white underbelly.
    Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 21 May 2025
  • Video clips posted online depict Babbitt, wearing a stars and stripes backpack and a Trump flag draped around her neck, stepping up and beginning to go through the waist-high opening of an area of the Capitol known as the Speaker’s Lobby when a gunshot is heard.
    Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 20 May 2025
Noun
  • And each year, those bills become broader and more extreme, as politicians look for new ways to enforce a binary definition of gender — and that escalation is turning up in the bills that do pass.
    Orion Rummler, Them., 28 May 2025
  • This is the definition of a low-risk, high-reward situation.
    Drew VonScio, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Description.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/description. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

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