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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to specify
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of define
Feet Above Ground is locally defined as feet above the Highest Astronomical Tide or HAT.
—
Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2025
The edges of the mole are irregular, scalloped, or poorly defined.
—Sarah Jividen, Health, 13 June 2025
The program defined orphans as children who had lost one or both parents to AIDS, and the children did not necessarily have HIV themselves.
—Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 13 June 2025
His music is also a way for parents to connect with the club vibe that, for many, defined their pre-child years.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for define
Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2025
The edges of the mole are irregular, scalloped, or poorly defined.
—Sarah Jividen, Health, 13 June 2025
The program defined orphans as children who had lost one or both parents to AIDS, and the children did not necessarily have HIV themselves.
—Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 13 June 2025
His music is also a way for parents to connect with the club vibe that, for many, defined their pre-child years.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for define
Recent Examples of Synonyms for define
Verb
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The exhibition consists of two parallel themes, one that charts Vuitton’s maritime connections, which is meant to pay homage to Shanghai, and one that traces its brand history, starting from its roots in Asnières, where the original workshop was established in 1859.—
Denni Hu,
Footwear News,
25 June 2025
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The episode traces a February 2013 cruise aboard Carnival Triumph from Galveston, Texas to Mexico.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
25 June 2025
Verb
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Four in 10 Hispanic Americans identify as Catholic, at least twice the rate for any other ethnic or racial group, and 18% describe themselves as former Catholics.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
18 June 2025
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Room for Disagreement No matter their view of the Israel-Iran war, Republicans agree that Trump ran and won on the no-stupid-wars strategy described by Carlson.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
18 June 2025
Verb
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Public figures and news outlets, then and now, have characterized it this way.—
David Wright Faladé,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2025
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Read: How Ivermectin became right-wing aspirin The devices are emblematic of the self-reliance that characterizes the MAHA movement.—
Olga Khazan,
The Atlantic,
19 June 2025
Verb
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Herzog, meanwhile, specified that Israel is committed to eliminating Iran’s nuclear and missile programs first and foremost.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
19 June 2025
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Although the classic martini serve has evolved, Milia specifies the baseline for the cocktail is still the same with two main ingredients.—
Rachel King,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
Verb
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When advocating for moral decisions—such as cutting ties with a supplier accused of labor violations—leaders should clearly outline the associated financial and operational consequences.—
HEC Paris Insights,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
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The complete national security agreement hasn’t been published publicly, although aspects of it have been outlined in statements and securities filings made by the companies, U.S. Steel said Wednesday.—
Marc Levy,
Chicago Tribune,
25 June 2025
Verb
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The White House planned to limit classified information flow to Congress following the leak, which immediately prompted pushback from Democrats.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
29 June 2025
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That limit will remain at the $40,000 limit set in the House bill, but it will be limited to a five-year period, rather than 10 years.—
Ani Freedman,
Fortune,
29 June 2025
Verb
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The company aimed to portray someone overcoming obstacles to achieve their dream.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
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The feds’ case portrayed the mogul as a ruthless and micromanaging boss who, during the two decades before his September 2024 arrest, abused his larger-than-life status in the industry to control his employees and lovers alike through violence and intimidation.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
24 June 2025
Verb
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On the continent, specific styles were used to delineate tribes, ethnic groups, and even hierarchical social order within such groups.—
Essence,
Essence,
19 June 2025
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There are enough vague, intractable whispers of diplomacy and further talks about talks, to provide the tantalising promise of a deal, without striking, or even delineating one.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
16 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Define.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/define. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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