1
as in to trace
to draw or make apparent the outline of
the glass skyscraper's sleek silhouette was strikingly defined by the setting sun to its west
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
3
as in to characterize
to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group
a woman who is defined by her unswerving loyalty to her friends
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to specify
to give the rules about (something) clearly and exactly
let me define the task so that there is no doubt in your minds about what needs to be done
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of define
For Carbonell, three words defined his life: Purpose, principle and passion.
—
Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2025
Perhaps no franchise defines Disney’s approach better than Pirates of the Caribbean, which traces its origins to Disneyland and Walt Disney himself, before becoming a film franchise that led to new elements being added to the original rides, namely Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow.
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2025
Outside of his ability to walk and speak, Pistorius in fact was able to achieve what many may define as a normal life, even getting married and having a son, as well as forming his own business focused on web design and development.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 8 Mar. 2025
So, the first step is defining specific, achievable goals.
—Kristine Thomason, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for define
Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2025
Perhaps no franchise defines Disney’s approach better than Pirates of the Caribbean, which traces its origins to Disneyland and Walt Disney himself, before becoming a film franchise that led to new elements being added to the original rides, namely Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow.
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2025
Outside of his ability to walk and speak, Pistorius in fact was able to achieve what many may define as a normal life, even getting married and having a son, as well as forming his own business focused on web design and development.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 8 Mar. 2025
So, the first step is defining specific, achievable goals.
—Kristine Thomason, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for define
Recent Examples of Synonyms for define
Verb
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The Louvre’s debut fashion exhibit spotlights precious objects from the Byzantine era to the Second French Empire, tracing their influence on designer clothing.—
Hannah Malach,
WWD,
9 Mar. 2025
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With that lead, investigators traced the mummy to a film production company that had purchased it in the ’60s.—
Mara Bovsun,
New York Daily News,
8 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But in the same meeting, Shedd also described TTS as a failing start-up.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
2 Mar. 2025
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Assistant Police Chief Cisco Rodriquez described the victim as an adult male but could provide no further information, pending notification of the family and the results of the ongoing investigation.—
Post-Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Security Modern SaaS applications follow a development process characterized by frequent releases as new features and iterations become available.—
Ben Verghese,
Forbes,
4 Mar. 2025
-
Another type of hyperpigmentation that kojic acid can help with is melasma—a stubborn and hard-to-treat skin condition characterized by splotchy, brown or grayish patches.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But each of those neurons are really highly specified.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
3 Mar. 2025
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The chain did not specify anything about the conduct in question.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
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At a meeting held at Southwest High School on Sept. 18, 1961, Missouri highway engineers outlined the plan — a six-lane, high-speed, limited-access highway, much of it depressed 20 feet or more below the surface.—
Michael Wells,
Kansas City Star,
9 Mar. 2025
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Collective bargaining agreements between an employer and a union representing workers outlines the rights and benefits of employees such as their pay schedule and their ability to challenge demotions or terminations.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
8 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Unlike many other professional sports leagues, MLB doesn’t have a salary cap limiting how much teams can pay players.—
Russell Leung,
CNBC,
1 Mar. 2025
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La Vega was able to grab 21 offensive rebounds, but Decatur’s strong interior defense limited the damage.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Both portrayed struggles within families and among different generations.—
Amitava Kumar,
The New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2025
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Shifting the Household Financial Paradigm Historically, popular culture often portrayed men as the family financiers while women managed daily household tasks.—
Dave Birnbaum,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
Verb
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By failing to delineate bitcoin’s resilience and liquidity advantage, Trump’s advisors invite exactly that sort of risk.—
Dave Birnbaum,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
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Approved in 2014, these AVAs were delineated by geographic boundaries that considered the natural diversity of the soils and other dominant conditions of each microclimate.—
Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen,
Robb Report,
24 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to define
Cite this Entry
“Define.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/define. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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