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
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Recent Examples of defines
The cruise line’s Marella Explorer 2 also offers cruises exclusively for grown-ups, which the line defines as those 17 and older.
—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
30 June 2026
The company’s bet is that the same speed that defines its team can be brought to the systems companies rely on every day.
—
Connie Etemadi,
Miami Herald,
30 June 2026
America has the opportunity to build the infrastructure that defines the next century of economic and strategic power.
—
Charles Beames,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Every sector that defines American competitiveness, from manufacturing and defense to healthcare and logistics, runs on power.
—
Vinod Khosla,
Fortune,
30 June 2026
The best part about American fashion culture is that there is no one singular look that defines us.
—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
30 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
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
30 June 2026
The company’s bet is that the same speed that defines its team can be brought to the systems companies rely on every day.
—
Connie Etemadi,
Miami Herald,
30 June 2026
America has the opportunity to build the infrastructure that defines the next century of economic and strategic power.
—
Charles Beames,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Every sector that defines American competitiveness, from manufacturing and defense to healthcare and logistics, runs on power.
—
Vinod Khosla,
Fortune,
30 June 2026
The best part about American fashion culture is that there is no one singular look that defines us.
—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
30 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defines
Verb
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Rich in both scenery and history, the White Pass & Yukon Route traces the path of gold seekers through some of the most rugged landscapes in North America.
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More about Goldhofer and its NC expansion The move marks a significant expansion for the firm, which traces its roots to 1705 and formal establishment in 1946.
Verb
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The Anti-Defamation League describes Patriot Front as a white supremacist group.
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Staying home might not readily provide the intoxicating beauty Emerson describes.
Verb
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Resilience characterizes many young basketball players at SCC Dixon said.
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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.
Verb
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Neither government specifies how that logging should work across organizational boundaries, because the infrastructure to do so does not yet exist.
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They are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which specifies where and how to use them.
Verb
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Rather, the department outlines a checklist developers must complete to get a stamp of recommendation from city staffers before going before the Commission.
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The law outlines an appeals process and allows for people on the registry to apply for expungement after three years.
Verb
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Over a century later, the Himalayan blackberry has spread far beyond the modest backyard bounds its importers envisioned, opting instead to take over indiscriminately and displace the native trailing blackberry (Rubus ursinus) in the process.
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Oprah Winfrey bounds into view in a white dress.
Verb
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His pioneering work on the colonial bar portrays a profession living through extraordinary uncertainty.
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The summer’s political bestseller portrays him as a figure whose transformative potential has been utterly derailed by hubris.
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.
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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 5 Jul. 2026.
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