1
as in tracing
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 describing
to mark the limits of
the river defines the town on the south
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in characterizing
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 specifying
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 defining
Both came to the Nats in the aforementioned — and franchise-defining — trade away of Soto in 2022.
—
Barry Svrluga, New York Times, 17 June 2026
Digital sovereignty is quickly becoming a defining pursuit for countries trying to build strategic autonomy.
—Aidan Gomez, Fortune, 17 June 2026
The late, great Giorgio Armani was rightly celebrated for his generation-defining tailoring—but his off-the-clock garb is no less worthy of acclaim.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 17 June 2026
On the question of how to categorize JioStar, Vaz positioned the company as a technology business first, with storytelling as its core driver rather than its defining identity.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 June 2026
From the return of decade-defining fashion trends and toys to restaurants dishing out deeply nostalgic foods, '90s culture has seen a sweeping resurgence in 2026.
—Kelly McCarthy, ABC News, 17 June 2026
That was the defining feature of the immediate aftermath of one of the most iconic basketball wins ever.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 11 June 2026
By the end of the meeting, two defining figures of their era had shared a rare moment away from the spotlight.
—Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
The story reflects a defining era when America’s space program became a symbol of ambition and innovation for the world.
—Time, 10 June 2026
Barry Svrluga, New York Times, 17 June 2026
Digital sovereignty is quickly becoming a defining pursuit for countries trying to build strategic autonomy.
—Aidan Gomez, Fortune, 17 June 2026
The late, great Giorgio Armani was rightly celebrated for his generation-defining tailoring—but his off-the-clock garb is no less worthy of acclaim.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 17 June 2026
On the question of how to categorize JioStar, Vaz positioned the company as a technology business first, with storytelling as its core driver rather than its defining identity.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 June 2026
From the return of decade-defining fashion trends and toys to restaurants dishing out deeply nostalgic foods, '90s culture has seen a sweeping resurgence in 2026.
—Kelly McCarthy, ABC News, 17 June 2026
That was the defining feature of the immediate aftermath of one of the most iconic basketball wins ever.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 11 June 2026
By the end of the meeting, two defining figures of their era had shared a rare moment away from the spotlight.
—Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
The story reflects a defining era when America’s space program became a symbol of ambition and innovation for the world.
—Time, 10 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defining
Verb
-
Whatever romance Rodrigo is tracing the history of apparently did not end in cheating or any other horrible behavior that would lead her back toward the kind of recriminatory rockers that were among the previous albums’ highlights.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
12 June 2026
-
The village of Juaben is home to the Aston Villa supporters’ group The Ghana Lions, with their fandom tracing back to a love of the club’s former Republic of Ireland international defender Paul McGrath.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
In a professional biography posted on Canvas last updated in 2022, Davis demonstrated his passion for areospace studies and flight training, describing his extensive education and flight experience.—
Reeti Malhotra,
Sacbee.com,
18 June 2026
-
The preservation coalition have compared the sculpture garden to Trump’s White House ballroom and triumphal arch projects, describing them as costly and frequent targets of litigation.—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Supporters of the high-earner tax for public education have been quick to stress it’s been in place for more than a decade, characterizing any rollback of it as a tax cut for the wealthy.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
-
So much of The Last Supper involved characterizing songs, movies, music videos, paintings, and so on.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Its Senate sponsor, Chicago Democrat Ram Villivalam, acknowledged more work was needed without specifying what stalled the bill.—
Jack O'Connor,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2026
-
Calfee tandems are custom-built, with consumers specifying nearly all components, at an average price of $20k.—
Mark Dent,
HubSpot,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
The Sentinel has done a thorough job outlining the fiscal impact that eliminating property taxes in Florida would have on homeowners, businesses and local governments.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 June 2026
-
The initiative’s website also features a World Cup section, outlining proper soccer terminology, tips for getting around the Northland and weekly watch parties hosted or promoted by Go North KC.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
With the Rockies holding a 7-0 lead, Rumfield sent a drive to deep right-center, where the ball grazed the outside of Adell's glove before hitting his head and bounding over the wall.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
-
With the Rockies holding a 7-0 lead, Rumfield sent a drive to deep right-center, where the ball grazed the outside of Adell's glove before hitting his head and bounding over the wall.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Trump has publicly commented on Paramount along the way, sometimes portraying the Ellisons as his friends and specifically expressing interest in the family taking over CNN.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
12 June 2026
-
Valadao’s backers have already started to emphasize his moderate views while portraying Villegas’ progressive politics as out-of-step with many district voters.—
Mathew Miranda
June 12,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
But the Knicks gave themselves a chance by limiting the Spurs to 14 points on four-for-20 shooting in the third quarter, using a 13-0 run to get back in it and cutting it to 90-75 heading to the fourth.—
Tim Reynolds,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
-
Xcimer’s engineering targets include limiting laser manufacturing expenses to less than $100 per joule to ensure competitive energy pricing.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defining. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
