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
Taaffe said, describing Barron’s advice.
—
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
Which is how Edwards described it, as well.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 19 Apr. 2026
It’s described as a federal-state partnership to provide funding, technical assistance and data sharing.
—Matthew Perrone, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
Despite everything, friend Dainlynn Greer and her mother Jamee Koopman describe Jade as easy going and upbeat.
—Betsy Shuller, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for describe
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
Which is how Edwards described it, as well.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 19 Apr. 2026
It’s described as a federal-state partnership to provide funding, technical assistance and data sharing.
—Matthew Perrone, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
Despite everything, friend Dainlynn Greer and her mother Jamee Koopman describe Jade as easy going and upbeat.
—Betsy Shuller, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for describe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for describe
Verb
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Nods to this history are all over the interiors, with black and white photos depicting the multiple generations who once used this mountain retreat lining the walls.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
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But according to Variety, these scenes had to be scrapped after it was discovered that a clause in a settlement with Chandler prevented him from being depicted or mentioned in a film.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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McMahon told me that another priority is patriotic education.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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Don Cheadle told Entertainment Tonight in July 2021about tying the knot with his partner of nearly 30 years, Bridgid Coulter, during the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Sophie Dodd,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But South Korea's market has been characterized by volatility of late, with the Kospi experiencing some of the most outsized gyrations as a result of its concentration in a handful of stocks, as well as speculative positioning of retail traders.—
Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
17 Apr. 2026
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The pilot program was characterized by SeaWorld San Diego Park President Tyler Carter as a conscientious move toward potentially phasing out fireworks.—
Jennifer Van Grove,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Max Clayton also makes a strong impression as Danny Bailey, a swaggering leading man modeled after Carousel’s Billy Bigelow and portrayed on the series by Aaron Tveit.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
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Critics say the event has a highly partisan list of participants and is part of a larger project to connect America's upcoming 250th birthday with a Christian nationalist vision that portrays the nation's founding as essentially Christian, something many historians dispute.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The contamination dates back to the mid-20th century, when nearby facilities handled radioactive materials as part of industrial and defense-related activities.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Falls are the leading cause of injury and injury-related deaths for Americans aged 65 and older.—
Brian Frost,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But Friday was the collapse that may define their season.—
Dan Woike,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Our world will continue to evolve rapidly — but the enduring values that define a person should not.—
Peter Folan,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Chinook conversion illustrated that the traditional concept could be successfully applied to a modern vessel with current technology.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Apr. 2026
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López's struggle illustrates new barriers facing aspiring drivers under the rule change, particularly in heavily Hispanic cities such as Miami and Orlando.—
David Ovalle,
NPR,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Prosecutor Nichols called David Wiley to the stand, who recounted Terry Rose's confession to him back in 1999.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
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The billionaire cofounder recounted a time when Duolingo had been on the hunt for a chief financial officer for a year.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Describe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/describe. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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