Synonyms of defining

defining

verb

present participle of define

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

• tracing
• outlining
• sketching
• delineating
• surrounding
• circling
• trimming
• silhouetting
• rounding
• lining
• framing
• bounding
• drawing
• skirting
• encircling
• edging
• charting
• looping
• rimming
• ringing
• fringing
• hemming
• margining
• mapping (out)
• girthing
• compassing
• girdling
• diagramming

2

as in describing

to mark the limits of

the river defines the town on the south

Synonyms & Similar Words

• describing
• bounding
• limiting
• delimiting
• governing
• demarcating
• marking (off)
• circumscribing
• terminating
• controlling
• demarking
• determining
• delineating

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

• describing
• characterizing
• portraying
• representing
• depicting
• identifying
• classifying
• charactering
• categorizing
• specifying
• indicating
• typing
• pigeonholing
• marking
• individualizing
• distinguishing
• naming
• stamping
• particularizing
• coloring

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

• specifying
• prescribing
• directing
• dictating
• arranging
• ordering
• laying down
• telling
• assigning
• selecting
• choosing
• managing
• controlling
• instructing
• governing
• setting
• decreeing
• requiring
• leading
• conducting
• constraining
• forcing
• fixing
• coercing
• ordaining
• enjoining
• settling
• compelling
• bidding
• commanding
• charging
• obligating
• obliging
• adjuring

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of defining

To set the stage, the report’s authors said self-service technology is rapidly becoming a defining feature of the modern in-store retail experience. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026

Waka Flocka Flame, Roscoe Dash, and Wale each bring distinct energy, turning the record into a defining party anthem of its era. — Brittney Williams, Billboard, 23 Sep. 2026

But their defining turning point in business came in 2012 over KRAVE Beef Jerky. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026

As organizations begin delegating work to autonomous systems, that distinction is becoming one of the defining security challenges of the AI era. — Sumit Dhawan, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026

The rise in yields is a sign that economies across the world are entering an era of higher interest rates — and exiting the era of ultra-low interest rates that became a defining feature of the global economy after the 2008 financial crisis. — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026

On display is production art, costumes and characters from Lucas’ culture-defining work. — Paris Barraza, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026

Government regulation of water quality has become a defining issue this campaign season, thanks in large part to Chris Jones, a retired University of Iowa research scientist and a Democrat who is running for state agriculture commissioner. — Peter Slevin, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026

That’s why last winter represented such a golden opportunity for Allen or Jackson, in particular, to at last lead his team on one of those legacy-defining Super Bowl runs. — Mike Jones, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026