1
as in tracing
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
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2
as in describing
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 delineating
Those fights faded once governments began delineating specific zones where such projects were allowed and impacts could be minimized.
—
Bloomberg, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026
The force of Quincy’s essay resided not in rehearsing this full litany of offenses for The Atlantic’s readers but in delineating its implications.
—Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
The opening number remains a stunner as choreographer Ellenore Scott finding fresh ways of delineating all the major and minor characters and introducing the tensions that will further tighten throughout the show.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
Consistent cadence and properly delineating sentences and statements vastly improve any output the glasses produce.
—PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025
The Senate is expected to ramp up efforts this fall to pass a bill delineating oversight of the crypto market — the crown jewel of digital asset legislation.
—Julia Shapero, The Hill, 9 Sep. 2025
Bloomberg, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026
The force of Quincy’s essay resided not in rehearsing this full litany of offenses for The Atlantic’s readers but in delineating its implications.
—Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
The opening number remains a stunner as choreographer Ellenore Scott finding fresh ways of delineating all the major and minor characters and introducing the tensions that will further tighten throughout the show.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
Consistent cadence and properly delineating sentences and statements vastly improve any output the glasses produce.
—PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025
The Senate is expected to ramp up efforts this fall to pass a bill delineating oversight of the crypto market — the crown jewel of digital asset legislation.
—Julia Shapero, The Hill, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for delineating
Verb
-
Lincoln's life and death had a lasting impact on the future president, historians Douglas Brinkley and Harold Holzer wrote in an exclusive piece for USA TODAY, tracing how a portrait of Lincoln later became Roosevelt's moral compass.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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Sound of Falling, Mascha Schilinski’s experimental period drama tracing the lives of four young women from four different epochs in rural East Germany, swept the German Film Awards, the Lolas, winning 10 Lolas including best film and best director for Schilinski.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Start with the human moment by describing a specific person and a transformation.—
Tara Fitzpatrick-Navarro,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
-
The boy’s mother submitted a statement to court that was read aloud by a victim representative Tuesday, describing continuing effects, including memory and academic struggles, from the concussion her son suffered.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
What are the defining traits of a fresh scent?—
Adam Hurly,
Robb Report,
27 May 2026
-
Mamdani is promising to build 200,000 new affordable housing units over the next 10 years while preserving the same number, aiming to tackle the city’s defining contemporary crisis as vacancy rates hit record lows and NYC stares down a middle-class exodus.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
27 May 2026
Verb
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By depicting the specific shade of green in the Café Vida awning to the correct number of spokes in the rose window at the Community United Methodist Church, Dal Bello hoped to bring the places that colored his childhood alive.—
Sam Mulick,
Daily News,
29 May 2026
-
Carney is a moralist, a filmmaker of fidelity—and of renunciation, depicting the romantic near-misses and what-ifs that his characters leave behind.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
This month, the White House released the 2025 United States Counterterrorism Strategy document, outlining its priorities and approach to protecting the homeland.—
Odette Yousef,
NPR,
27 May 2026
-
Officials showed a video outlining environmental protection measures for the highway, including environmental monitoring of a 50‑kilometer-wide (31-mile-wide) strip on each side of the road along its entire length.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Pratt has been portraying the city as a lethal hellscape.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
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Both of Cook’s pregnancies were written into Criminal Minds, with her sons portraying her children on the series.—
Jacqueline Weiss,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Delineating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delineating. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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