as in restricted
having distinct or certain limits
well defined guidelines on the range of activities in which the intelligence agency can engage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in traced
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
2
as in bounded
to mark the limits of
the river defines the town on the south
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in described
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 specified
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 defined
Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
The team overcoming those injuries defined the season.
—Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 12 Jan. 2026
Postseason football is defined by grit and narrow margins.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2026
Awards season momentum was in full swing, and the latest edition of Star Gazing captures the energy that defined this week.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 12 Jan. 2026
The 2025 playoffs stand out for having seven Tier 3 QBs — defined as a solid starter who requires significant help from his defenses and ground games to win.
—Mike Sando, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
But compared with Kissinger, whose crusading interventionism defined a generation of America’s global relationships, Rubio often seems like a support staffer for the President.
—Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
Opinion How is ‘merit’ defined in college admissions?
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 12 Jan. 2026
Their stories connect visitors to the human side of a sport often defined by speed and machines.
—Bill Bootz, Charlotte Observer, 12 Jan. 2026
Verb
Hudson’s makeup artist, Tonya Brewer, blurred her pores using a mattifying powder, volumized her lashes with a few swipes of a smudge-free mascara, defined her pout with a long-lasting lip liner, and more.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
The team overcoming those injuries defined the season.
—Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 12 Jan. 2026
Postseason football is defined by grit and narrow margins.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2026
Awards season momentum was in full swing, and the latest edition of Star Gazing captures the energy that defined this week.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 12 Jan. 2026
The 2025 playoffs stand out for having seven Tier 3 QBs — defined as a solid starter who requires significant help from his defenses and ground games to win.
—Mike Sando, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
But compared with Kissinger, whose crusading interventionism defined a generation of America’s global relationships, Rubio often seems like a support staffer for the President.
—Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
Opinion How is ‘merit’ defined in college admissions?
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 12 Jan. 2026
Their stories connect visitors to the human side of a sport often defined by speed and machines.
—Bill Bootz, Charlotte Observer, 12 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defined
Adjective
-
Elk Grove city leaders have approved turning Amber Waves Way and several other streets into a restricted parking zone.—
James Taylor,
CBS News,
15 Jan. 2026
-
The Panthers gave Mays a restricted tender this past offseason, and the lineman eventually returned on the one-year deal.—
Mike Kaye
January 15,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Part of this knowledge gap can be traced to Tunisia’s recent export history.—
Annie Daly,
Vogue,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Turzanska traced Agnes’ emotional journey through color, particularly red.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Three players handled the ball after the inbounds, but DiCostanzo’s 3-point shot bounded long off the back of the rim with two seconds remaining.—
Martin Henderson,
Oc Register,
14 Jan. 2026
-
The entertainment area — bounded by Southwest Second Street, the railroad tracks, the New River and Nugent Avenue — sits near the Riverwalk, the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and the Museum of Discovery and Science.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Alicia Kearns, the shadow national security minister and prominent critic of the project, described the approval of the embassy as handing Beijing a strategic advantage against British interests.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Francis also argued on appeal that Sammartino did not give enough consideration to his ailing health nor properly credit him for his cooperation, which prosecutors described as unprecedented.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
There is no difference specified under the law.—
Joseph Buczek,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
William also is understood to pay tax on his income, but only after subtracting household expenses, which were not specified in the latest report, People reported.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
31 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
The new approach moves beyond linear models by using Gaussian process regression, a technique capable of mapping complex nonlinear relationships with limited data.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Jan. 2026
-
The limited number of videos that have emerged show hundreds of corpses strewn across the floors of hospitals and morgues.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Speaking to Interesting Engineering, Fraimic team member Nathaniel Paffett-Lugassy outlined the core idea behind the product.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Skyler Lusnia, the Statewide Charter School Board’s director of school performance, had already outlined three major concerns and asked Epic officials to respond.—
Jennifer Palmer,
Oklahoma Watch,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Carolina Panthers opponents in 2026 Divisional opponents are demarcated with an asterisk.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Jan. 2026
-
The two countries have long disagreed on stretches of their 500-mile border that had been demarcated under French colonial rule, especially around the Preah Vihear and Ta Muen Thom temples, and have clashed several times over the years, including between 2008 and 2011.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
9 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defined. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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