describe

verb

de·​scribe di-ˈskrīb How to pronounce describe (audio)
described; describing

transitive verb

1
: to represent or give an account of in words
describe a picture
The police asked her to describe the thief.
There were so many things he wanted to describeJames Joyce
2
: to represent by a figure, model, or picture : delineate
described in her paintings what she saw from her window
3
obsolete : distribute
4
: to trace or traverse the outline of
describe a circle
5
archaic : observe, perceive
describable adjective
describer noun

Examples of describe in a Sentence

The witness wasn't able to describe the robber. He described the house in perfect detail. The article describes how the experiment was done. She described watching dolphins play beside the ship. Please describe what happened next. Can you describe the lost dog to me? She used a stick to describe a circle on the ground.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The pace of change described in this new research may be the hardest challenge for business leaders. Geoff Colvin, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025 At least a half-dozen people described an emotional seesaw they were put through by weeks of contradictory UPS tracking updates about their shipments. Kayla Steinberg, NBC news, 10 Oct. 2025 Which brings us to what the British press described as the biggest celebrity break-up since Charles and Diana. Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2025 As described in a press statement, Angel Reese, making her runway model debut for VS kicks off her global partnership with the brand and sets the stage for much more to come. Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for describe

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin describere, from de- + scribere to write — more at scribe

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of describe was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Describe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/describe. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

describe

verb
de·​scribe di-ˈskrīb How to pronounce describe (audio)
described; describing
1
: to represent or give an account of in words
2
: to trace the outline of
describe a circle
describable adjective
describer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on describe

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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