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
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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
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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
The study defines the sandwich generation as adults who have at least one child under 18 and a living parent—which is around one in four Americans.
—
Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
No one game defines a season, no one loss defines a career.
—Don Yaeger, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
However, Ferriss defines slow carbs differently than most other eating plans.
—Lindsey Desoto, Health, 1 Sep. 2025
But that's not the only quality that defines him.
—EW.com, 10 Apr. 2025
If the messy balance of scholarship and marketplace which defines American universities is increasingly tipping to the market side, the President’s scheme of gaining power plays into that shift.
—Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2025
This is how psychiatrist Judith Orloff defines it, who is considered an expert on the subject, also being an empath herself.
—Tanyel Mustafa, Refinery29, 9 Apr. 2025
But with porosity, length, volume and other factors weighed into how our texture looks, what defines who has 4C hair and who doesn’t?
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 9 Apr. 2025
This one spot on the ice Ovechkin’s dominance on the ice from the left circle defines his legacy as the greatest goal scorer in NHL history.
—Rob Rossi, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
No one game defines a season, no one loss defines a career.
—Don Yaeger, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
However, Ferriss defines slow carbs differently than most other eating plans.
—Lindsey Desoto, Health, 1 Sep. 2025
But that's not the only quality that defines him.
—EW.com, 10 Apr. 2025
If the messy balance of scholarship and marketplace which defines American universities is increasingly tipping to the market side, the President’s scheme of gaining power plays into that shift.
—Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2025
This is how psychiatrist Judith Orloff defines it, who is considered an expert on the subject, also being an empath herself.
—Tanyel Mustafa, Refinery29, 9 Apr. 2025
But with porosity, length, volume and other factors weighed into how our texture looks, what defines who has 4C hair and who doesn’t?
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 9 Apr. 2025
This one spot on the ice Ovechkin’s dominance on the ice from the left circle defines his legacy as the greatest goal scorer in NHL history.
—Rob Rossi, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defines
Verb
-
The documentary traces the untold story of soft rock, whose artists dominated pop music worldwide in the '70s, only to crash and burn in the '80s, while eventually experiencing one of the most unlikely comebacks in music history.—
Anne Easton,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
-
DeVille traces the knockoff effect that happened over time, like when the unpredictable pop experimentalists of MGMT were succeeded—and commercially eclipsed—by bands with blander takes on their ideas (Capital Cities, Foster the People, Empire of the Sun).—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Ruzzin describes working in design as rarified, more difficult to obtain than becoming a professional football player in the NFL.—
Jackie Charniga,
USA Today,
2 Sep. 2025
-
The fundraiser for Sophia, which describes her as a bright and kind young girl, has raised nearly $700,000 as of Tuesday afternoon.—
Janelle Griffith,
People.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Bondi’s letter sent to Wu last week characterizes Boston’s sanctuary policies as a threat to national security.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
19 Aug. 2025
-
In this way, cybersecurity is becoming a task of general economic protection—a trend that characterizes the EU and that more countries worldwide are taking up.—
Dennis-Kenji Kipker,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Each recipe is indicated by a code—O means the Four Roses distillery; B or E indicates the mashbill (B is 35 percent rye, E is 20 percent rye); S means straight whiskey; and the last letter specifies the yeast strain, each of which brings a different flavor profile to the whiskey.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
19 Aug. 2025
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Ryan Christoffel at 9to5Mac has useful analysis that specifies what happened when in recent years to help specify the release date.—
David Phelan,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The final edition, which Knopf has sent to the printers, includes a foreword that outlines the changes in Giuffre’s life since the manuscript was completed in the fall of 2024.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
5 Sep. 2025
-
China’s Xi outlines global vision at major summit Chinese leader Xi Jinping further outlined his vision for a global order with Beijing at its center.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Stefania D'Alessandro/WireImage What To Know In The Smashing Machine, Johnson portrays Kerr, the two-time UFC heavyweight tournament winner whose career and life in the late 1990s included both ring success and struggles with painkiller addiction.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
-
The Disneyland show portrays Disney in his office, sharing a bit about his life and stories from the past.—
Megan duBois,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
And, without needing to preach, Preparation for the Next Life delineates the limits of immigrants reaching for solidarity from white Americans who may be experiencing their own hardships, but who are never going to be in danger of being deported.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The duo begin a frantic game of hide-and-seek, with the rabbit running from one side of the tree to the other as the fawn bounds after it.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Her most recent project bounds up multiple tallies and even reappears on one.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defines. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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