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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of describe
Her epiphany came from a book in which the author described her own journey with IVF.
—
Janet W. Lee, NPR, 12 Jan. 2026
Leaders and parents describe multiple generations of families continuing to enroll their children at the center, which has served over 2,000 students, ages 18 months to 12 years old.
—Wilborn P. Nobles Iii, Dallas Morning News, 12 Jan. 2026
To introduce the initiative, the festival has also produced a promotional film starring Alexander Karim and David Dencik, directed by Mats Udd, reflecting what the Festival has described as the value of truth in contemporary society.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 12 Jan. 2026
How was Jonah described to you?
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for describe
Janet W. Lee, NPR, 12 Jan. 2026
Leaders and parents describe multiple generations of families continuing to enroll their children at the center, which has served over 2,000 students, ages 18 months to 12 years old.
—Wilborn P. Nobles Iii, Dallas Morning News, 12 Jan. 2026
To introduce the initiative, the festival has also produced a promotional film starring Alexander Karim and David Dencik, directed by Mats Udd, reflecting what the Festival has described as the value of truth in contemporary society.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 12 Jan. 2026
How was Jonah described to you?
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for describe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for describe
Verb
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One photo depicted two black matte alligator Hermès Birkins, which retail for around $100,000 resale.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
15 Jan. 2026
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The book's cover, which PEOPLE can exclusively reveal, features the iconic moment captured in Marilyn in White — but as a lenticular image, the photo actually shifts to depict the whimsical movement of Monroe's dress.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Police added that Lattimore was arrested for not telling the officer there was a gun inside the vehicle when asked.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
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Federal prosecutors have launched a new criminal investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James, after a grand jury previously declined to indict her twice on unrelated criminal charges, two sources familiar with the matter told CBS News.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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To him, 1000 Corporate Drive was no call center; that term would better characterize his previous dump in Hollywood, Florida.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
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The move was characterized as a typical political conflict; however, the revelations from these whistleblowers raise questions about whether there could have also been a motive to keep wrongdoing concealed.—
Torrey Snow,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Later that year, Ewing would first appear as Thad in the third installment of season 11 and would go on to portray the young deputy and handyman for 50 episodes until September 1967.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
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Newsom portrayed California as a dominant force in the global economy and vanguard of the technology and entertainment sectors during his final State of the State address on Thursday.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Dykstra, 62, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of possessing narcotics and narcotic-related equipment but was not taken into custody, trooper Kody Nowicki told The Athletic.—
Matt Moret,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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With so many insects packed together in moist and dark places — and all closely related, sharing the same genetic vulnerabilities — infections and diseases can quickly pose an enormous threat to the well-being of an ant colony.—
Arundathi Nair,
NPR,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Davis’ injury is the latest — and potentially most damaging — blow in a Mavericks season defined by attrition.—
Mike Curtis,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Jan. 2026
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While its character may be defined by its history—ask the staff about its connections to Jackie O and George Washington—the inn embraces all of the modern comforts.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Recent reassessments in parts of West Garfield Park, North Lawndale and Englewood illustrate a broader problem, with increases that go far beyond routine market movement.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Jan. 2026
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Advertisement No country illustrates the region’s dilemma better than Brazil, Latin America’s largest democracy.—
Oliver Stuenkel,
Time,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Frisbee recounts feeling bathed in warm light and then having had a vision of himself leading thousands of hippies into the Pacific Ocean to be baptized.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
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Montalvo recounted that between January and March, his band had practically no performances.—
Juan Cordoba,
Arkansas Online,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Describe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/describe. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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