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
Come up with a basic, descriptive title for each dish; in small text underneath, briefly describe what the dish is.
—
Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 May 2026
Police described the killing as the work of a professional.
—Sarah Dahlberg, NBC news, 10 May 2026
Despite what supporters describe as overwhelming evidence in her favor, the courts denied at least four challenges to Olga's sentence.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 10 May 2026
Chinn and Ito describe a more rotating pattern, with large surpluses appearing at different times in China, Germany, oil exporters, Japan, and other economies.
—James Broughel, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for describe
Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 May 2026
Police described the killing as the work of a professional.
—Sarah Dahlberg, NBC news, 10 May 2026
Despite what supporters describe as overwhelming evidence in her favor, the courts denied at least four challenges to Olga's sentence.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 10 May 2026
Chinn and Ito describe a more rotating pattern, with large surpluses appearing at different times in China, Germany, oil exporters, Japan, and other economies.
—James Broughel, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for describe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for describe
Verb
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What is depicted in these pages is beyond human comprehension.—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
14 May 2026
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The Goya frescoes depicting the miracle of Saint Anthony of Padua, painted in 1789, are a prime example of the artist’s revolutionary style.—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Daniel de Visé Americans who traveled on the MV Hondius cruise ship will have the option to return home, rather than to a national quarantine center, if safety protocols permit, a top health official told CNN on Sunday.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
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Alexa told me she was relieved by the outcome.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
Verb
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In a statement Sunday, airport CEO Phil Washington characterized the person who was killed as a trespasser.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
10 May 2026
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These starburst regions are characterized by exceptionally high rates of star formation, making M77 a dynamic and evolving galaxy.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
10 May 2026
Verb
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The show has a bootstrappy vibe in which individual grit and self-belief are portrayed as the keys to success.—
Julie Beck,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
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But in a March 19 response to the plaintiffs’ demand letter, according to the AP's reporting, Leita Walker, an attorney for Artists Equity, said that the film does not intend to tell the true story of that incident or to portray real people.—
Sarah Perkel,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Verb
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According to the Cleveland Clinic, 5 to 8 percent of births in the United States are complicated by preeclampsia and related hypertensive disorders.—
Tina Sturdevant,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
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Bastian relates that Delta collected $9 billion, more than four times the number in 2014, and though Amex doesn’t break out its revenues from the co-brand, the Delta experience suggests it’s scored a moonshot.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
Verb
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The best bits of Body of Work are defined by the ideas that don’t center Skeletrix in the frame, the half-thoughts and thorny passages that breeze past if you aren’t locked in.—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
15 May 2026
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While World Cup organizers are heavily promoting certain songs, Herrera says many others will be vying to define the tournament this year.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Another viral pro-Pratt ad, not produced by Pratt’s own campaign, best illustrates the perils of populist-right energy.—
Conor Friedersdorf,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
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Principles of Scientific Management’s success illustrates the utility, and the power, of the appearance of empiricism.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, Associated Press journalists in Ituri’s capital, Bunia, interviewed locals who recounted their fears and constant burials.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
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In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter's executive awards editor Scott Feinberg on his podcast, Awards Chatter, the 65-year-old actress recounted one particularly tense moment on set involving co-creator Larry David and executives from production company Castle Rock.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Describe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/describe. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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