describe

verb

di-ˈskrīb How to pronounce describe (audio)
Definition of describenext
1
as in to depict
to give a representation or account of in words he tried to describe the dream he had last night as accurately as he could

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to tell
to give an oral or written account of in some detail a biography of Washington that describes the decisive Battle of Yorktown at great length

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to characterize
to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group how would you describe the Inupiat people you encountered in Alaska?

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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 describe Her family, who emigrated from the Congo, described her smile as warm and her demeanor as gentle. — Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026 The paper described research on the feasibility of using gene-editing to correct the mutation the caused their daughter’s disorder but did not mention a human trial nor their daughter’s death. — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 31 July 2026 The El-Sayed formula is to describe just about any policy as a conspiracy by a corporate entity or wealthy cabal to enrich itself at the expense of the people. — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026 Beyond the specific formations, sources at Valdebebas have described Mourinho’s early days at Madrid as being built around intensity and speed in attacking transitions. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for describe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for describe
  1. depict
  2. tell
  3. characterize
  4. portray
  5. relate
  6. define
  7. illustrate
  8. recount
Verb
  • Legend has it, Sperlonga was a stop on Odysseus's journey, and a group of ancient sculptures depicting scenes from the Odyssey were found in the grotto adjacent to the villa.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The ​pitch is reinforced by the document’s anime-style cover, which depicts a smiling family in a gleaming cityscape rather than ​the troops, weapons and military insignia featured on many previous editions.
    — Reuters, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of depict
Verb
  • For a long time, we’ve all been told that remastering the older Super Robot Wars games was extremely difficult, due to all the licensing and other costs involved.
    — Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Earlier, sources told CNN that the crown prince raised concerns over plans to strike Iran during the call.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of tell
Verb
  • Russia's Defense Ministry characterized the attack as a large-scale strike on military-industrial and logistics sites in Kyiv, according to reports in Russian media.
    — Greg Myre, NPR, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Several residents who spoke at the meetings characterized the opposition as a vocal minority of residents who have fixated on a few mostly parochial issues.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of characterize
Verb
  • Reuters — Japan’s government is portraying its accelerating military buildup not only as ​a way to protect the country but as a route to greater prosperity, arguing in ‌its latest defence white paper that arms production can support economic growth.
    — Reuters, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The news arrives after the recent release of the blockbuster Michael biopic, which portrayed Jackson as a father with an iron fist and hair-trigger temper who used physical punishment to push his sons to stardom.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of portray
Verb
  • The company beat on the top line but missed Wall Street’s earnings forecast on the legal and severance-related charges.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 29 July 2026
  • Not held separately, not synced on a schedule, but modeled so the system understands how records relate rather than just storing them.
    — Patrick O'Connor, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of relate
Verb
  • Unlike ancient Roman baths that relied on standing pools, Ottoman hammam architecture is defined by fresh, continuous flowing water across heated stone slabs (göbek taşı).
    — Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • This season, though, will be defined by the head coach’s offseason evaluation of, well, himself.
    — Sam McDowell July 31, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
Definition of define
Verb
  • The backtracking illustrates how the politics of criminal justice have shifted since 2020, posing dilemmas for Democrats’ midterm strategy and their ability to enact their preferred solutions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
  • With so many clubs stuck in that vast middle, Detroit’s predicament illustrates the fluid nature of this deadline.
    — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of illustrate
Verb
  • Despite initially losing consciousness herself as a result of the explosion, Maria still vividly remembered the atrocity when recounting it to the Museum of Civilian Voices.
    — Emile Nuh, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
  • Lupe, a participant in a study on emotional distress and maternal health in El Paso, Texas, recounted her birth experience in a postpartum interview.
    — Carina Heckert, The Conversation, 30 July 2026
Definition of recount

Browse Nearby Words

descrambling
describe
described
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Cite this Entry

“Describe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/describe. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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