1
as in depicting
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in telling
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 characterizing
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 describing
Blume’s fiction addressed what was ordinary but largely invisible, describing it with humor, warmth, and care.
—
Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2026
Without so much as an introduction, the man began describing a way to create currency that couldn’t be forged.
—Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 18 Mar. 2026
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins and Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeff Rosell issued a joint consumer alert on Wednesday describing the scheme, which appears to be part of a nationwide scam tricking people into making payments.
—Aldo Toledo, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Mar. 2026
Mayor Cathleen DeSimone has unveiled plans to transform Capron Park Zoo into a nature reserve and wildlife rehabilitation center, describing the vision as a financial decision that cuts recurring personnel costs.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 18 Mar. 2026
At Florida, former coach Norm Sloan once delivered a line that still echoes today when describing how little sports writers cared about covering college basketball in the SEC and in the state of Florida.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2026
Bodycam footage captured the officer describing the town's monitoring network.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Named for the agricultural term describing how soil and climate shape flavor, Terroir blends jute and cotton to create a richly tactile surface inspired by tea-growing landscapes.
—Allison Hatfield, Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
The Story Is on CNN was censored last night just as the network’s correspondent in Beijing, Mike Valerio, began describing the topics that trigger the Middle Kingdom’s censors.
—Tom Tapp, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2026
Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2026
Without so much as an introduction, the man began describing a way to create currency that couldn’t be forged.
—Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 18 Mar. 2026
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins and Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeff Rosell issued a joint consumer alert on Wednesday describing the scheme, which appears to be part of a nationwide scam tricking people into making payments.
—Aldo Toledo, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Mar. 2026
Mayor Cathleen DeSimone has unveiled plans to transform Capron Park Zoo into a nature reserve and wildlife rehabilitation center, describing the vision as a financial decision that cuts recurring personnel costs.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 18 Mar. 2026
At Florida, former coach Norm Sloan once delivered a line that still echoes today when describing how little sports writers cared about covering college basketball in the SEC and in the state of Florida.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2026
Bodycam footage captured the officer describing the town's monitoring network.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Named for the agricultural term describing how soil and climate shape flavor, Terroir blends jute and cotton to create a richly tactile surface inspired by tea-growing landscapes.
—Allison Hatfield, Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
The Story Is on CNN was censored last night just as the network’s correspondent in Beijing, Mike Valerio, began describing the topics that trigger the Middle Kingdom’s censors.
—Tom Tapp, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for describing
Verb
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The Platte County Sheriff’s Office found 66 videos from the airport restroom, each depicting a different woman, on Ludwig’s phone, according to the probable cause statement.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
21 Mar. 2026
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Utah has received just a fraction of its normal snowpack, with this February 2026 photo depicting very low coverage in the mountains around Park City.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Tactics to combat drug traffickers required military leaders exercising might, not lawyers telling generals what to do, according to Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
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Every few years, there's a new diet trend telling us what to eat or what to avoid.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Albanese had been investigating human rights abuses in Palestinian territories and had started characterizing the Israeli aggression against Palestinians as a genocide.—
Chiara Eisner,
NPR,
17 Mar. 2026
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So far, lawmakers have been far from receptive to such an idea, with Republicans characterizing the effort as government overreach that would be counter to free-market ideals, one of the officials said.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At the trial, prosecutors argued that Pender exerted significant influence over Hull and played a role in the killings, portraying her as the dominant figure in their relationship.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
21 Mar. 2026
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Ortiz and Brown take on Bebo and Lola portraying the impulsiveness of youth, exacerbated, particularly in Bebo’s case, by poverty and limited options to make his way in the world.—
Carlos Aguilar,
IndieWire,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The two women bravely faced Gale in court Tuesday, recounting how their lives have changed.—
Neal Riley,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
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In a post shared on X, the Bay Area rocker described meeting a man who recognized him from across the street and began recounting, in vivid detail, a Van Halen concert from three decades ago.—
Aidin Vaziri,
San Francisco Chronicle,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Waddle can be quirky and hilarious — but his unselfishness remains a defining quality.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2026
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Kudrow is widely recognized as one of the defining comedic performers of her generation.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Its lifeworld, its temporal and spatial perspective, contrasts with the human, rendering our characters as distant, as inanimate, as the stelae and sculptures that surround them.—
Ben Lerner,
The New York Review of Books,
19 Mar. 2026
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As Lewis was rendering aid he was struck by a third vehicle, authorities said.—
Louis Casiano , Brooke Taylor,
FOXNews.com,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Pisces new moon creates opportunities for fulfillment through relating.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
18 Mar. 2026
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In relating her story this way, Gisèle is restoring to the record her waking life.—
Gaby Wood,
Vogue,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Describing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/describing. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
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