as in describes
to give a representation or account of in words
he limned the scene in the courtroom so perfectly I could practically see it
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Recent Examples of limns
The anxiety is rooted in the mundane rather than the arch and limns how such mental strife makes others illegible to you.
—
Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
By contrast, Borghi limns a figure of comingled sensuality, threat and eventual poignance, without ever appearing to reach for effect.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
By contrast, Borghi limns a figure of comingled sensuality, threat and eventual poignance, without ever appearing to reach for effect.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for limns
Verb
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And that describes this Panthers offense to a tee.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
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The geological formation has been studied for decades, and that long record of scientific interest shapes how the company describes its role.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For the cover of the May 11 & 18, 2026, special issue, themed around America’s 250th birthday, the cartoonist Barry Blitt portrays George Washington, the country’s first President, caught in the spirit of the moment.—
Françoise Mouly,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Táta Vega portrays Ollie’s Grandma, but viewers might recognize her voice from the Oscar-winning documentary, 20 Feet from Stardom.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
3 May 2026
Verb
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That begins with a reasonably effective prologue that depicts the fall of her childhood home, Edenia, and gives Kitana’s origin a more solid foundation than any of her cast mates.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 May 2026
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If The House is Burning captured the joie de vivre of reclaiming your life after years of disassociation and detachment, IT’S BEEN AWFUL depicts the excruciating process of living with your eyes wide open, of holding up the mirror to your face and not looking away.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
Pitchfork,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Limns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/limns. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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