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 Police describe Rantanen as a white male, around 5 feet 4 inches tall, 270 pounds, with short brown hair and green eyes. Hope Karnopp, Journal Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2024 In the wake of the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes, local crew members and creatives described an anemic return to production as major companies sought to slash costs and the era of Peak TV came to a screeching halt. Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Oct. 2024 The Arizona Office of Tourism described the partnership as an opportunity to make traveling safer for residents on both sides of the border. Rey Covarrubias Jr., The Arizona Republic, 27 Oct. 2024 Being put 'on notice' is akin to being 'rapped on the knuckles', as described by a veteran administrator. Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for describe 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'describe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near describe

Cite this Entry

“Describe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/describe. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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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