DELINEATE Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

delineate

verb

di-ˈli-nē-ˌāt

Definition of delineate

as in to trace

to draw or make apparent the outline of the man's roly-poly shape was softly delineated by the glow of the fire

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to describe

to give a representation or account of in words the story does a remarkable job of delineating the emotions that immigrants feel upon their arrival in a strange country

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 delineate While prosecution witnesses have refused to delineate between the Lachman and Palisades blazes, Haney has repeatedly described them as two distinct incidents that ignited days apart. — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2026 Some of them act as half walls, delineating the foyer, or partially separating the family room from the main salon. — Paola Singer, Architectural Digest, 18 June 2026 City centers across Europe and Asia were anchored for centuries by ancient seats of royalty and religion, and delineated by walls. — Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 10 June 2026 So, during today's press conference, Ars Technica's Eric Berger asked García-Galán and NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, who also participated in the event, if the MoonFall drones could help delineate a keep-out zone of sorts. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 26 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for delineate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for delineate

Verb

Raving can be traced to the late 1980s, when artists like DJ Pierre and Spanky sparked a bright but short flame of acid house in Chicago clubs, manipulating synthesizers to create squelchy beats dancers could jack their bodies to.

— Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 15 July 2026
The French president traced Foster’s evolution from child prodigy to two-time Oscar winner and filmmaker, praising her refusal to accept conventional female roles.

— Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 15 July 2026

Definition of trace

Verb

Fars described the sites as a forward headquarters for US Central Command’s land forces.

— Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
The first victim — identified Wednesday by the medical examiner as 79-year-old Clifford Boisa of Sutter County — has been described in news reports as the boat captain’s brother.

— Michael McGough Updated July 16, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026

Definition of describe

Verb

The article posits these are the first public votes in a critical referendum, urging everyone to consciously define AI's boundaries in their work and personal lives.

— Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Rather than building every lavish living room and sweeping residence on a soundstage, productions often turn to real-life properties that help define their characters and set the tone.

— Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 17 July 2026

Definition of define

Verb

Dalí included references to major events in Western history; for example, the Ten of Swords card depicts the stabbing of Julius Caesar, while the Queen of Cups is a jokey vandalism of François Clouet’s portrait Elisabeth of Austria, Queen of France.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026
The discovery of the painting, depicting the interior of Amsterdam’s Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) and likely by Dutch Golden Age painter Hendrick van der Burgh, has an unusual history, according to De Telegraaf, which first reported the news.

— Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 13 July 2026

Definition of depict

Verb

Warsh made his mark during his first meeting as chair in June, holding rates steady while outlining changes to the central bank's approach.

— Michelle Fox, CNBC, 15 July 2026
According to reporting by The Sacramento Bee, the new hiring protocol will allow managers to outline criteria for their ideal candidate and sort applications based on those measures.

— Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026

Definition of outline

Verb

Interpreting the story as theater, said actor Manos Pintzis, who portrayed Odysseus in the local production, helps children discover mythology in a way books alone cannot.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026
The character portrayed by the star of The Devil Wears Prada is the wife of Odysseus, played by Matt Damon, who spends ten years fighting in the Trojan War and another ten trying to return home.

— Alessia Ferri, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026

Definition of portray

Browse Nearby Words

delimits

delineate

delineated

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Style

“Delineate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delineate. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of delineate

verb

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