limned

verb

past tense of limn
as in described
to give a representation or account of in words he limned the scene in the courtroom so perfectly I could practically see it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 limned Tubman is all but indecipherable, roughly limned with white paint and covered by red, black, and yellow smudges and drips. — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 Nuclear rhetoric and threats have limned the almost three and a half years of full-scale war in Ukraine. — Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for limned
  1. described
  2. depicted
  3. portrayed
Verb
  • His administration has described the agreements as historic, but the raises secured by the two groups of first responders differ considerably.
    — Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Prominent Democrats and Republicans have described the midterm elections in near-apocalyptic terms.
    — James Speyer, New York Daily News, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of described
Verb
  • He also was depicted there as the Marlboro Man, a cowboy on horseback and with a white Stetson who could ride to the rescue, on everything from baseball caps to beer cozies.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Isabella’s son Federico II seems to have taken more care to have his own pets depicted accurately.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of depicted
Verb
  • The Los Angeles city attorney’s office is suing an animal rescue organization that was once a favorite among Hollywood celebrities, alleging that its owner purchased dogs from puppy mills and portrayed them to adopters as animals that were rescued.
    — Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • There were rumors that Crowley was involved in animal sacrifices and black magic, and headlines portrayed him as a Satanist.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of portrayed

Browse Nearby Words

limn
limned
limning
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Limned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/limned. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Pyrrhic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All