1
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
2
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
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Recent Examples of delineate
Yet, like the laying of a mosaic, the fragments slowly delineate a larger picture.
—
Dan Sheehan, Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
Republican senators have long been pushing to hold markups on the market structure legislation, which seeks to clearly delineate what portions of the industry fall under the regulatory purview of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) versus the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
—Julia Shapero, The Hill, 8 Jan. 2026
The lighting, too, is similar to the Xs and Os in a playbook, while brass inlay markers delineate yards on the floor.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 30 Dec. 2025
Categories are clearly delineated, like with the separate hoodies and sweats area.
—David Moin, Footwear News, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for delineate
Dan Sheehan, Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
Republican senators have long been pushing to hold markups on the market structure legislation, which seeks to clearly delineate what portions of the industry fall under the regulatory purview of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) versus the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
—Julia Shapero, The Hill, 8 Jan. 2026
The lighting, too, is similar to the Xs and Os in a playbook, while brass inlay markers delineate yards on the floor.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 30 Dec. 2025
Categories are clearly delineated, like with the separate hoodies and sweats area.
—David Moin, Footwear News, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for delineate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for delineate
Verb
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That may be especially true for a 90-year-old oak in Fayette County, a tree whose rings trace back to the five rings of the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany, and to a man named John Woodruff.—
Christopher DeRose,
CBS News,
21 Feb. 2026
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Flores traces the origins of pin trading to the second modern Olympics, in Paris in 1900.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Since 2015, the median age of an Economist subscriber has risen from 51 to 61, according to figures shared at a recent meeting and described to Semafor by two people.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
23 Feb. 2026
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When 250-million-year-old fossil remains were first described in 1972, they were thought to belong to a single species of marine amphibian, Erythrobatrachus noonkanbahensis.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy approached bags with the same consideration that defined the rest of her wardrobe.—
Julia Rabinowitsch,
Vogue,
20 Feb. 2026
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While emotional awareness is a strength, kids also need guidance so feelings and diagnoses inform them, not define them.—
Beth Ann Mayer,
Parents,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This was an adaptation of the 1906 novel about the meatpacking industry by Upton Sinclair; famously, Lookingglass actors hung by their heels, depicting the draining carcasses of the Chicago Stockyards.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
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Surveillance footage shown at the trial depicted Santos brutally beating the sleeping victims with a large metal bar over the course of half an hour.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Takaichi won a landslide in a snap election this month, and in her first speech since the vote outlined her new, assertive agenda.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
23 Feb. 2026
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During the forum, the chair of each transition committee gave a quick, roughly five-minute presentation outlining their recommendations at a high-level.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Breeds portrays a Hollywood performer whose career struggles prompt a return to her Australian island home, where unresolved family conflicts stemming from a romantic entanglement await her.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2026
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Jackson and his supporters sought to portray him as King’s natural successor in the civil rights arena.—
Bob Goldsborough,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Delineate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delineate. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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