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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 defines
Yet the very strength that defines them can become their greatest limitation when left unchecked.
—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
Faux snakeskin takes the place of the woven Kevlar panel that usually defines the model, while the long mudguard beneath is rendered in black nubuck.
—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
23 June 2026
Evergy defines large load projects as exceeding 75 megawatts.
—
Sofi Zeman
june 22,
Kansas City Star,
22 June 2026
What defines an ultra-high net worth household isn't an exact science.
—
Greg Iacurci,
CNBC,
22 June 2026
One thing that defines all the rooms at Jnane Rumi, but especially the over-the-top annex, is color.
—
Elizabeth Cantrell,
Travel + Leisure,
21 June 2026
That’s why the unveiling of a M Concept car that defines the direction of the next generation of BMW’s performance division is big news in the car world.
—
New Atlas,
21 June 2026
Cepeda defines himself as a humanist shaped by decades of human rights work.
—
Ines Capdevila,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
On the long-take aesthetic that defines Tarr’s work, Víg traced its lineage to Hungarian director Miklós Jancsó, a personal mentor to Tarr.
—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
20 June 2026
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
Faux snakeskin takes the place of the woven Kevlar panel that usually defines the model, while the long mudguard beneath is rendered in black nubuck.
—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
23 June 2026
Evergy defines large load projects as exceeding 75 megawatts.
—
Sofi Zeman
june 22,
Kansas City Star,
22 June 2026
What defines an ultra-high net worth household isn't an exact science.
—
Greg Iacurci,
CNBC,
22 June 2026
One thing that defines all the rooms at Jnane Rumi, but especially the over-the-top annex, is color.
—
Elizabeth Cantrell,
Travel + Leisure,
21 June 2026
That’s why the unveiling of a M Concept car that defines the direction of the next generation of BMW’s performance division is big news in the car world.
—
New Atlas,
21 June 2026
Cepeda defines himself as a humanist shaped by decades of human rights work.
—
Ines Capdevila,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
On the long-take aesthetic that defines Tarr’s work, Víg traced its lineage to Hungarian director Miklós Jancsó, a personal mentor to Tarr.
—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
20 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defines
Verb
-
Although Juneteenth is a nationwide celebration, the holiday traces its roots to Texas.
-
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.
Verb
-
The 3,200-square-foot residence at 10825 Lola Montez Road in Soda Springs, about 90 minutes from Sacramento via Interstate 80, includes three bedrooms and four bathrooms, but the listing describes it more like a private Sierra camp than a conventional home.
-
In Apple in China, the Financial Times reporter Patrick McGee describes how the US firm’s advanced manufacturing supply chain birthed China’s world-beating consumer electronics sector.
Verb
-
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.
-
The network characterizes the request for edits as something that should be happening in the newsroom.
Verb
-
Neither complaint specifies a damages figure.
-
If the fuel door or owner’s manual specifies 87 octane, that is what the engine is designed to run on.
Verb
-
The Department of Transportation outlines the basic policies in major carriers’ contracts.
-
This is the first of those reports, which outlines advocacy objectives for the upcoming fiscal year — one of which is taxpayer identity theft.
Verb
-
Oprah Winfrey bounds into view in a white dress.
-
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.
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.
-
Mia Sara, who portrays Ferris’ girlfriend Sloane, was just 18.
Verb
-
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.
-
Wood, specifically Canaletto walnut, delineates many of these elements and unifies the apartment from entrance to end.
Cite this Entry
“Defines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defines. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
