described; describing
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 describe …—
James Joyce
James Joyce2
: 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
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
The Grand Canyon has never been adequately described in words or music notes.
—Tom Zoellner, AZCentral.com, 25 July 2025
Status Indian is the Canadian term used to describe those still governed under the Indian Act of 1876.
—Tanya Talaga
july 24, Literary Hub, 24 July 2025
The documents shed light on how former friends and fellow students described him, the disturbing murder scene at the King Road house, what his first interview with officers after his arrest entailed and Kohberger’s life in prison.
—Elise Hammond, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
Mele describe lei made here with the string-like, yellow kauna‘oa (native dodder) or varieties of limu—an integral part of the traditional diet centuries ago, sometimes ingested ceremonially for cleansing.
—D. Kauwila Mahi, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for describe
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Tom Zoellner, AZCentral.com, 25 July 2025
Status Indian is the Canadian term used to describe those still governed under the Indian Act of 1876.
—Tanya Talaga
july 24, Literary Hub, 24 July 2025
The documents shed light on how former friends and fellow students described him, the disturbing murder scene at the King Road house, what his first interview with officers after his arrest entailed and Kohberger’s life in prison.
—Elise Hammond, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
Mele describe lei made here with the string-like, yellow kauna‘oa (native dodder) or varieties of limu—an integral part of the traditional diet centuries ago, sometimes ingested ceremonially for cleansing.
—D. Kauwila Mahi, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for describe
Cite this Entry
“Describe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/describe. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
describe
verb
de·scribe
di-ˈskrīb 
described; describing
1
: to represent or give an account of in words
2
: to trace the outline of
describe a circle
describer
noun
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