align

verb

ə-ˈlīn 

variants or less commonly aline

aligned also alined; aligning also alining; aligns also alines

transitive verb

1

: to bring into line or alignment

aligned the books on the shelf

2

: to array on the side of or against a party or cause

He aligned himself with the protesters.

intransitive verb

1

: to get or fall into line

He aligned with his friends against a common enemy.

2

: to be in or come into precise adjustment or correct relative position

Negative ends of molecules align with positive ends of other molecules.

aligner noun

Examples of align in a Sentence

He aligned the two holes so he could put the screw through them.

The two parts of the machine are not properly aligned.

The text aligns with the bottom of the picture.

The schools had to align their programs with state requirements.

She is aligning with other senators to oppose his nomination.

Recent Examples on the Web

This decrease aligns with the reduction in revenue. —Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024

Although largely symbolic, the change — which would align with the manufacturer’s naming convention for its other models — signals Beijing’s growing intention to present itself as a full-scale alternative to Airbus and Boeing, which are both struggling to keep up with demand. —Reuters, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2024

Those clumps will all align with the magnetic field but repel one another, self-organizing into a crystalline pattern while retaining their strange frictionless behavior. —Quanta Magazine, 6 Nov. 2024

Beyoncé gave Kamala Harris permission to use the tune at rallies and in a number of ways throughout her presidential campaign, aligning herself with the current vice president. —Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French aligner, from Old French, from a- (from Latin ad-) + ligne line, from Latin linea

First Known Use

circa 1693, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing align

• align oneself with

Kids Definition

align

verb

variants also aline

ə-ˈlīn 

1

: to bring into or be in line or alignment

2

: to cause to be for or against something (as a belief or political party)

aligned himself with the opposition

aligner noun