define

1
as in to trace
to draw or make apparent the outline of the glass skyscraper's sleek silhouette was strikingly defined by the setting sun to its west

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2
as in to describe
to mark the limits of the river defines the town on the south

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3
as in to characterize
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

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4

Examples of define in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Recent Examples on the Web The firm projected holiday sales — defined as taking place in November and December — will rise between 2.5% and 3.5% year over year, which is similar to Telsey Advisory’s own projection. Paulina Likos, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2024 Like the vanilla girl summer, caramel girl fall, and the cinnamon girl aesthetic that came before it, slow girl autumn offers distinct characteristics that define the style. Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Nov. 2024 And when the political class deemed Harris the winner of the second presidential debate, Team Trump barreled forward, continuing its air campaign to define her as too weak and too liberal to be president. Matthew Continetti, National Review, 2 Nov. 2024 Most of the Heartbreakers contributed to Petty’s solo debut, but the album is defined by how the California sunshine of Petty’s 12-string guitars is run through the crisp, glossy sound Lynne had perfected with ELO. Al Shipley, SPIN, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for define 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for define
Verb
  • The suspect, Travis L. Ward, was arrested Saturday in Vancouver, surrendering without incident after police and SWAT officers surrounded a home he was traced to, according to a statement from the Vancouver Police Department.
    Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2024
  • Some of the recent volatility and negative reaction in the equity markets can be traced to the disappointing guidance from Microsoft and Meta, with the latter indicating huge capital investments in the AI and infrastructure spaces in 2025.
    Robert Barone, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Police describe Rantanen as a white male, around 5 feet 4 inches tall, 270 pounds, with short brown hair and green eyes.
    Hope Karnopp, Journal Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2024
  • In the wake of the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes, local crew members and creatives described an anemic return to production as major companies sought to slash costs and the era of Peak TV came to a screeching halt.
    Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Drummond recently paired her two-toned jacket with skinny jeans, knee-high boots, and a trucker hat, but the style, characterized by its roomy pockets, relaxed fit, and sturdy material, proves to be a versatile piece for everyday use.
    Maggie Horton, People.com, 29 Oct. 2024
  • Those with low self-esteem and highly anxious attachment styles (characterized by fear of rejection or abandonment), were also found to dampen their positive emotions.
    Ellen Choi, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Waymo didn’t specify how much of this round Alphabet accounted for.
    Alena Botros, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2024
  • While the original definition provided a general framework, the October version goes further in specifying activities these systems might engage in, such as screening, evaluating, categorizing, and making recommendations.
    Alonzo Martinez, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Burns outlined her conversation with Trump in a series of posts on X.
    Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 3 Nov. 2024
  • The indictment lists the type and amount of expenses that are outlined in the indictment for each of the 33 counts.
    Peter J Reilly, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • While our outward view is limited to the colonial mansion across the street, so many of the characters’ dreams lay beyond these walls.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 26 Oct. 2024
  • Israel’s assault on Iran early Saturday, coordinated with Washington and limited to missile and air defense sites, was more restrained than many expected and may help diplomatic efforts to return hostages and limit the combat in both Lebanon and Gaza.
    Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • In short, Harris is a more interesting and idiosyncratic figure than he has been portrayed in some quarters.
    John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024
  • The Harris campaign was quick to portray the event likewise, with Harris senior adviser Ian Sams and other surrogates suggesting Trump was calling for Cheney to face a firing squad.
    Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • The goal: assimilate tribes into mainstream society and eliminate the government's trust responsibilities to tribes as delineated in treaties, executive orders and legislation.
    Debra Utacia Krol, The Arizona Republic, 25 Oct. 2024
  • Prices were based on condition, the fame of the work, and the scarcity of the copy on sale—a scale delineated, in order of increasing expense, by such descriptors as significant, pivotal, seminal, stunning, very rare, exceedingly rare, and extremely rare.
    Tad Friend, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Define.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/define. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

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