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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defining
If certified, the Johnson case could establish a significant precedent in defining the Education Department’s obligations under the FCRA.
—
Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Receiving a Michelin star can elevate a restaurant’s reputation globally and is often seen as a career-defining achievement for chefs.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 4 Nov. 2025
Its fuel economy is its defining characteristic, though its design language is also pleasant.
—Charles Singh, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
Built for the drone age Drones have rapidly become a defining feature of modern warfare, cheap, fast, and difficult to detect or intercept using conventional weapons.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2025
Host Muriel Wilkins coaches this leader through defining her value, working through possible scenarios at her organization, and taking a step forward into her next career phase.
—Harvard Business Review, 3 Nov. 2025
Florida had a shot at a program-defining win against the rival that tormented it the most.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2025
Recursion has been called one of the defining characteristics of human language by Chomsky and others — and indeed, perhaps a defining characteristic of the human mind.
—Steve Nadis, Quanta Magazine, 31 Oct. 2025
Likewise, Kumiko Ogawa’s costumes include character-defining garments as well as elaborate getups for the plays, some of which are constructed for suspenseful onstage costume changes.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Receiving a Michelin star can elevate a restaurant’s reputation globally and is often seen as a career-defining achievement for chefs.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 4 Nov. 2025
Its fuel economy is its defining characteristic, though its design language is also pleasant.
—Charles Singh, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
Built for the drone age Drones have rapidly become a defining feature of modern warfare, cheap, fast, and difficult to detect or intercept using conventional weapons.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2025
Host Muriel Wilkins coaches this leader through defining her value, working through possible scenarios at her organization, and taking a step forward into her next career phase.
—Harvard Business Review, 3 Nov. 2025
Florida had a shot at a program-defining win against the rival that tormented it the most.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2025
Recursion has been called one of the defining characteristics of human language by Chomsky and others — and indeed, perhaps a defining characteristic of the human mind.
—Steve Nadis, Quanta Magazine, 31 Oct. 2025
Likewise, Kumiko Ogawa’s costumes include character-defining garments as well as elaborate getups for the plays, some of which are constructed for suspenseful onstage costume changes.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defining
Verb
-
Mayer, the iconic poet perhaps best known for her poem tracing midwinter day in a volume of that title, took a roll of film for each day of a month and maintained a daily diary.—
Diana Arterian,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Temple as a child learned geography by tracing Earhart’s flights.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Mamdani has also been criticized for describing himself as a Democratic Socialist and pushing for government run grocery stores and free buses.—
Jenni Fink,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Court records obtained by KOCO include several emotional victim impact statements describing lasting fear and trauma.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
In a statement posted to Instagram, SAG-AFTRA, one of the largest entertainment unions, blasted its creation, characterizing it as an affront to the work of human performers.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
10 Dec. 2025
-
People are characterizing them and not listening to them.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The changes were initiated by the Homeland Security Department, the current official said, without specifying which cities were impacted.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Without specifying the countries of origin, the Russian Defense Ministry said foreign fighter jets were scrambled to identify the Russian aircraft on parts of their flight, adding that the flight was in strict compliance with international airspace rules.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Those streamers that have accrued more than a million subscribers in the country will be required to spend a portion of their local revenue or investment on original Australian shows or films after the government introduced a bill outlining new rules.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has asked the federal government for $1 billion to improve rural health care, outlining plans for adding community health workers, investing in new technologies such as artificial intelligence and establishing more partnerships across the state.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
There might be nothing more adorable than the sight of a fluffy puppy or kitten bounding around the corner to surprise its new owner.—
Terry Ward,
USA Today,
1 Dec. 2025
-
In the clip, Charlie can be seen bounding, burrowing and lounging blissfully in the winter powder while bundled up in a blue jacket.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The Venezuelan government has denied these allegations, portraying the agency as essential to defending national sovereignty against coups and foreign intervention.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
-
He was best known for portraying Randy Benton on NBC's long-running Western The Virginian.—
Brendan Le,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This method prevents clutter by limiting how much can be stacked, keeping everything tidy and accessible.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Health care experts and politicians on both sides of the aisle agree that medical schools must find ways to lower their costs, but critics of the loan caps say limiting federal lending isn’t the answer.—
Tribune News Service,
Oc Register,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defining. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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