Synonyms of defined

defined 1 of 2

adjective

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

• restricted
• limited
• finite
• definite
• narrow
• measured
• bounded
• specific
• circumscribed
• determinate
• confined
• detailed
• qualified
• modified
• fixed
• small
• determined
• constricted
• settled
• precise
• tiny
• exact
• moderate
• modest
• puny
• minute

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• undefined
• infinite
• unlimited
• unbounded
• indefinite
• limitless
• dimensionless
• endless
• boundless
• immeasurable
• unmeasured
• general
• vague
• innumerable
• countless
• illimitable
• incalculable
• inexhaustible
• measureless
• unfathomable
• indeterminate
• inestimable
• nebulous
• enlarged
• unqualified
• expanded
• bottomless
• unreserved
• large
• extensive
• considerable
• great
• substantial
• plentiful
• vast
• major
• copious
• big
• broad
• super
• voluminous
• handsome
• inclusive
• sizable
• comprehensive
• whole
• respectable
• universal
• bulky
• expansive
• escalated
• epic
• goodly
• global
• grandiose
• ample
• sweeping
• jumbo
• hefty
• oversize
• cosmopolitan
• bumper
• plenitudinous
• largish
• whacking
• hulking
• king-size
• overscale

defined

2 of 2

verb

past tense of define

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

• traced
• outlined
• sketched
• delineated
• surrounded
• rounded
• silhouetted
• trimmed
• circled
• lined
• bounded
• framed
• margined
• drew
• edged
• fringed
• hemmed
• rimmed
• skirted
• encircled
• charted
• looped
• ringed
• mapped (out)
• diagrammed
• girdled
• compassed
• girthed

2

as in bounded

to mark the limits of

the river defines the town on the south

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bounded
• described
• limited
• demarcated
• delimited
• circumscribed
• marked (off)
• governed
• demarked
• terminated
• controlled
• determined
• delineated

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

• described
• characterized
• portrayed
• represented
• depicted
• identified
• classified
• specified
• categorized
• charactered
• indicated
• typed
• pigeonholed
• marked
• named
• stamped
• individualized
• distinguished
• colored
• particularized

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

• specified
• prescribed
• directed
• laid down
• arranged
• dictated
• ordered
• assigned
• selected
• told
• decreed
• required
• instructed
• set
• ordained
• controlled
• governed
• managed
• chose
• conducted
• fixed
• constrained
• led
• enjoined
• compelled
• forced
• settled
• obligated
• charged
• obliged
• commanded
• coerced
• adjured
• bade

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of defined

Verb

Upheaval and volatility have defined the 13-year post-Sir Alex Ferguson era at Old Trafford, with United lurching from one coach and philosophy to the next. — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026

The most successful acquisitions are rarely defined solely by valuation. — Amit Jain, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

The team’s breakup follows from the way the company defined AlphaFold from the beginning. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026

The next phase of enterprise AI will therefore not be defined by which companies achieve the highest adoption. — Bryan Murphy, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026

That means people are still making $22,200 less than what's needed to purchase what's often defined as a bedrock of the American Dream while remaining financially comfortable. — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026

Disparaging remarks are defined as using personal insults, ad hominem attacks or attacks on a person’s character, or speculating on a person’s motivations. — Danielle Battaglia, Charlotte Observer, 7 Aug. 2026

When styled correctly, loafers are an all-day shoe that easily take you from the office to after-work drinks, while mom jeans—defined by their high-waist and relaxed fit—are appropriate for most settings while maintaining an effortless aura. — Michel Mejía, Glamour, 2 Aug. 2026

While the horizontal space in a small garden is defined and limited, the vertical space offers great planting potential. — Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2026