1
as in traces
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 describes
to mark the limits of
the river defines the town on the south
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in characterizes
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 specifies
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defines
Not every patient defines success the same way.
—
Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 15 June 2026
This brick colonial, tucked away at the end of a cul-de-sac in Devonwood, one of Farmington’s premier communities, defines design excellence, luxury, and comfort.
—James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 14 June 2026
The mom of two added that while people sometimes comment on how much their son resembles Shaun, biology isn't what defines parenthood.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 13 June 2026
For cities and counties, population growth is universally seen as a metric that defines success.
—Christopher Briem, The Conversation, 12 June 2026
What the next decade has in store Looking ahead, Grainger defines success in pragmatic terms.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 12 June 2026
But double the opportunity provides a bigger chance for a moment that defines a school, a season and a community.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 June 2026
The bill defines broadcasters to include stations with FCC licenses and the national TV networks that provide programming to affiliate stations.
—ArsTechnica, 11 June 2026
The National Weather Service defines a heat advisory as conditions where the combination of heat and humidity is expected to feel like 95-99 F for two or more consecutive days, or 100-104 F for any length of time.
—Francie Ebert, NBC news, 11 June 2026
Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 15 June 2026
This brick colonial, tucked away at the end of a cul-de-sac in Devonwood, one of Farmington’s premier communities, defines design excellence, luxury, and comfort.
—James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 14 June 2026
The mom of two added that while people sometimes comment on how much their son resembles Shaun, biology isn't what defines parenthood.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 13 June 2026
For cities and counties, population growth is universally seen as a metric that defines success.
—Christopher Briem, The Conversation, 12 June 2026
What the next decade has in store Looking ahead, Grainger defines success in pragmatic terms.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 12 June 2026
But double the opportunity provides a bigger chance for a moment that defines a school, a season and a community.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 June 2026
The bill defines broadcasters to include stations with FCC licenses and the national TV networks that provide programming to affiliate stations.
—ArsTechnica, 11 June 2026
The National Weather Service defines a heat advisory as conditions where the combination of heat and humidity is expected to feel like 95-99 F for two or more consecutive days, or 100-104 F for any length of time.
—Francie Ebert, NBC news, 11 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defines
Verb
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Although Juneteenth is a nationwide celebration, the holiday traces its roots to Texas.—
Natassia Paloma,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
-
The film is set in a declining industrial city in Northeast China and traces a young man’s search for his father, a small-time schemer who chased quick riches during the freewheeling capitalist surge of the late 1990s and early 2000s in Southern China.—
Marcus Lim,
Variety,
18 June 2026
Verb
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What These Treatments Actually Cost At the mass-market end, Restore Hyper Wellness describes itself as the largest direct-to-consumer wellness provider in the country, with more than 200 studios nationwide as of May 2026.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
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In this installment, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Andrew Sean Greer describes living in Venice while completing his latest novel Villa Coco.—
Matt Ortile,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Under that view, a taxpayer who actively participates in management should not receive the benefit simply because state law characterizes the interest as a limited partnership interest.—
Virginia La Torre Jeker,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
The network characterizes the request for edits as something that should be happening in the newsroom.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
Neither complaint specifies a damages figure.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
18 June 2026
-
If the fuel door or owner’s manual specifies 87 octane, that is what the engine is designed to run on.—
John Paul Senior Manager Public Affairs And Traffic Safety Aaa Northeast,
Hartford Courant,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
The non-binding agreement outlines a framework for the companies to evaluate technical and commercial details.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
17 June 2026
-
The framework also outlines measures da Zaeli said are needed to ensure legal certainty, avoid undue liability and safeguard the right to full defense and due process.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Oprah Winfrey bounds into view in a white dress.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
9 June 2026
-
Something as simple as adding a tablespoon of fresh ground flax or chia seeds to a smoothie can do leaps and bounds improvement in the microbiome itself.—
Suzanne Le Mignot,
CBS News,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
Zhang, delivering his first fully Cantonese-language performance on the big screen, portrays a repressed small-time man caught between competing versions of reality.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
21 June 2026
-
Mia Sara, who portrays Ferris’ girlfriend Sloane, was just 18.—
Linnea Wicklund,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
Verb
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His fluid camera, observational without being intrusive, expertly delineates the safe space of Layla’s courtyard, shifting registers as things get darker until near the end, when jumbled night reinforces the tense uncertainty.—
Jay Weissberg,
Variety,
17 May 2026
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Wood, specifically Canaletto walnut, delineates many of these elements and unifies the apartment from entrance to end.—
Ludovica Stevan,
Architectural Digest,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defines. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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