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
Readers praised the baked goods and coffee at this North Center spot, with one reader describing it as an approachable and welcoming all-day spot.
—
Kayla Samoy, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
South Korean officials responded by describing Kim’s statement as meaningful progress in relations.
—Hyung-Jin Kim, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Friends and loved ones shared tributes on social media, describing the loss as devastating.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
The actor published a memoir less than a year before his death describing his decades-long struggles.
—Jack Hannah, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
In February, Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Shevaun Harris justified spending opioid money on the anti-marijuana ads to state senators by describing it not as politics or lobbying, but instead as educational outreach.
—Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
The crew members took turns describing the stunning landscape below and captured images of Earth rising behind the Moon, in communications with Mission Control in Houston.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 7 Apr. 2026
South Korean officials responded by describing Kim Yo Jong’s statement as meaningful progress in relations.
—ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
In the interview, describing the early moments of her mother’s absence, Guthrie explained the array of terrifying thoughts that occurred to her and to her siblings.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
Kayla Samoy, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
South Korean officials responded by describing Kim’s statement as meaningful progress in relations.
—Hyung-Jin Kim, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Friends and loved ones shared tributes on social media, describing the loss as devastating.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
The actor published a memoir less than a year before his death describing his decades-long struggles.
—Jack Hannah, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
In February, Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Shevaun Harris justified spending opioid money on the anti-marijuana ads to state senators by describing it not as politics or lobbying, but instead as educational outreach.
—Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
The crew members took turns describing the stunning landscape below and captured images of Earth rising behind the Moon, in communications with Mission Control in Houston.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 7 Apr. 2026
South Korean officials responded by describing Kim Yo Jong’s statement as meaningful progress in relations.
—ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
In the interview, describing the early moments of her mother’s absence, Guthrie explained the array of terrifying thoughts that occurred to her and to her siblings.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for describing
Verb
-
Rua enters the topic of humanness by depicting a pack of mannequins.—
Lauren Warnecke,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2026
-
In recent years, victims have struggled to have images depicting them removed from websites, increasing the likelihood of images being continuously spread and victims becoming retraumatized.—
Bethany Bruner,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Google’s response to this report is telling.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 Apr. 2026
-
This newsroom-wide project brings fast facts as stories unfold — making sure our local officials and institutions are telling the truth, serving our communities well and following through on their promises.—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Mandy Joye, an oceanographer specializing in microbiology at the University of Georgia, has spent decades characterizing microbes in hydrocarbon-rich habitats across the Gulf.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
But a number of architects and preservation groups provided their opinions of the 90,000 square foot project, generally characterizing it as way out of scale with the Executive Residence, the main part of the White House, while throwing off the symmetry of the grounds.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The production features over 20 actors portraying characters from a wide range of nationalities and backgrounds, reflecting the diversity of the real-life camp.—
Ray Campos,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Acting career Allen next turned to acting, portraying Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor in the film How to Build a Girl (2019).—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The retired tennis pro, 44, shared a carousel of photos on Instagram on Monday, April 6, recounting her weekend with her family.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
7 Apr. 2026
-
At a crowded news conference, boisterous supporters chanted to free Sarsour, recounting his advocacy for those in need.—
Sophia Tareen,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The many-years-sober Levinson drew from his experiences as an addict to shape Euphoria, but more important were his edgelord proclivities, which went from shading the story of how these high-schoolers lived to defining it.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Long before Tucker Carlson brought great replacement talk into prime time on Fox News, VDARE treated the concept as the defining issue of our time.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Antibodies that my body developed to fight the mycoplasma bacteria also destroyed my red blood cells, rendering me briefly anemic.—
Jerome Groopman,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Upon arrival, officers saw Long Beach firefighters rendering medical aid to the victim, who was lying in the road.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Pisces new moon creates opportunities for fulfillment through relating.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
18 Mar. 2026
-
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 15 Apr. 2026.
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