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
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
Levy described the challenges of navigating her pregnancy without her partner.
—
Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2025
Ballot boxes have closed across Syria in the country’s first parliamentary elections since the fall of the Assad regime, as counting continued late into Sunday evening in what officials described as a defining step in Syria’s political transition.
—Eyad Kourdi, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025
Artists and writers tend to be strangers, or to see themselves as strangers in this world, and making a story is an attempt to fill that gap, or to describe it, or to just live with it.
—Nina Mesfin, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
Whalen described one recent encounter where a homeless person blew fentanyl smoke in his face.
—Brian Mann, NPR, 5 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for describe
Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2025
Ballot boxes have closed across Syria in the country’s first parliamentary elections since the fall of the Assad regime, as counting continued late into Sunday evening in what officials described as a defining step in Syria’s political transition.
—Eyad Kourdi, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025
Artists and writers tend to be strangers, or to see themselves as strangers in this world, and making a story is an attempt to fill that gap, or to describe it, or to just live with it.
—Nina Mesfin, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
Whalen described one recent encounter where a homeless person blew fentanyl smoke in his face.
—Brian Mann, NPR, 5 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for describe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for describe
Verb
-
The line in Swift's song and The Life of a Showgirl's cover art appears to be inspired by a Victorian-era painting that depicts the scene in Hamlet when Ophelia goes crazy and falls into a stream and drowns after learning Hamlet killed her father.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Stephen depicts the women’s schooltime bond in hypnotic flashbacks, and their separation largely through absence itself, with gliding, pensive shots of places—rooms, buildings, streets—where the women have been and may be again but which, onscreen, are vacant.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Another told Feltner to call a township trustee.—
Patricia Gallagher Newberry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Caroline Ervin, landscape designer and owner of The Georgetown Garden Shop, told shrubs that produce berries in the fall are especially valuable during migration season, offering essential nutrition to birds in need of high-fat, energy-rich foods.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The administration has also called out the arrest of Sortor, a 27-year-old conservative influencer, amid protests outside the ICE facility in Portland during what police characterized as a fight.—
Rebekah Riess,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
-
This species, found in waterholes surrounded by bamboo forests, is characterized by its rough skin and reddish-orange markings.—
Real-Time News team,
Miami Herald,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The White House has also continued to troll House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries with AI videos portraying Jeffries in a sombrero and fake mustache.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
-
In the musical, Levy portrays Mother, the matriarch of a wealthy white family, who discovers her self-confidence and independence.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Petrino, the man responsible for the changes, could relate.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Internet users can’t get enough of Mason’s refusal to engage with the other pups at day care, as many fellow introverts could relate.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Her characters are cast to record an audio adaptation of a wildly popular vampire romance series that defined their teenage years, just like The Twilight Saga defined hers.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
-
The planning commission accepted the recommendation, with a small modification related to how medical clinics are defined in the Land Development Code.—
Killian Baarlaer,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Shot on location surrounded by her horses, the campaign illustrates elevated pieces designed for today’s modern wardrobe, and shows Springsteen in her truest from.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
2 Oct. 2025
-
These statistics illustrate the trend of how Americans are starting to delay major milestones like getting married, adopting a pet, buying a house, and having children for a wide variety of reasons, namely owing to inflation and the cost of living.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In a video podcast, Carter recounted a late-night meal of sushi with the Salvadoran president.—
T. Christian Miller,
ProPublica,
30 Sep. 2025
-
One of the standout moments of the interview came when the artist recounted receiving the call from Jay-Z confirming his headlining role.—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Describe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/describe. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share