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

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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for define
Verb
  • 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
  • The episode traces a February 2013 cruise aboard Carnival Triumph from Galveston, Texas to Mexico.
    Nathan Diller, USA Today, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • The 5-foot-8, 190-pound suspect was initially described as having black hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing a tan or green T-shirt and dark shorts.
    Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 18 June 2025
  • 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
  • Public figures and news outlets, then and now, have characterized it this way.
    David Wright Faladé, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2025
  • 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
  • Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the military also struck the headquarters of Iran's internal security forces, without specifying the agency or location.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 June 2025
  • Two men were arrested before this week’s announcement, and the status of the four others wasn’t specified.
    Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 19 June 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
  • Cleveland has early Bird rights on Jerome and is limited to a starting salary of $14.4 million on his next deal, but that’s still more than the $14.1 million that teams with the nontaxpayer midlevel exception (MLE) can pay him.
    John Hollinger, New York Times, 17 June 2025
  • Perfectionist tendencies may cause an anxious person to limit their food intake, choose to eat only a limited range of foods, or exercise in excess.
    Brittany Dube, Health, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • The company aimed to portray someone overcoming obstacles to achieve their dream.
    Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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

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Cite this Entry

“Define.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/define. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.

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