What does "describe" mean?
To represent in words.
Describe
/dɪˈskɹaɪb/ verb
verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To represent in words.
- Grammar: describe is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: depict, delineate, draw, explain.
- Useful contrasts: charades, visual tasks, burlesque.
- Usage evidence: Bill Clinton spoke in ambiguous language when asked to describe his relationship with Monica Lewinsky.
How to use "describe"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "describe" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "describe" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "describe" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "describe" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "describe" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "depict" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "describe", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To represent in words. transitive
"The feeling is difficult to describe, but not unpleasant."
- 2 identify as in botany or biology, for example wordnet
- 3 To represent by drawing; to draw a plan of; to delineate; to trace or mark out. transitive
"to describe a circle by the compasses; a torch waved about the head in such a way as to describe a circle"
- 4 to give an account or representation of in words wordnet
- 5 To give rise to a geometrical structure. transitive
"The function describes a very complex surface."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 give a description of wordnet
- 7 To introduce a new taxon to science by explaining its characteristics and particularly how it differs from other taxa. transitive
"The fungus was first described by a botanist."
- 8 make a mark or lines on a surface wordnet
- 9 To distribute into parts, groups, or classes; to mark off; to class. obsolete, transitive
"Passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book."
Antonyms
Example
"Bill Clinton spoke in ambiguous language when asked to describe his relationship with Monica Lewinsky."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "describe"?
Common synonyms include: depict, delineate, draw, explain, report, account.
How do you use "describe" in a sentence?
Bill Clinton spoke in ambiguous language when asked to describe his relationship with Monica Lewinsky.
How do you pronounce "describe"?
Pronounced /dɪˈskɹaɪb/.
Etymology
From Middle English descriven, from Old French descrivre, from Latin dēscrībō (“I copy off, transcribe, sketch off, describe in painting or writing”), from dē (“off”) + scrībō (“write”); see scribe and shrive. Displaced native Old English āmearcian.