described; describing
1
: to represent or give an account of in words
describe a picture
The police asked her to describe the thief.
The article describes how the experiment was done.
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
Bruccoleri described the character’s emotional arc in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 2 Apr. 2026
While his older brother Ancel described the launch as unforgettable.
—Samantha Chaney, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
About 63% said higher price at the pump is causing some financial hardship in their households, the CNN survey showed, including roughly 15% who describe the situation as severe.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Yet key dramatic moments—a shooting, the robbers’ realization that the bank vault is empty—occurred in a hallway invisible to the audience, described secondhand.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for describe
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Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 2 Apr. 2026
While his older brother Ancel described the launch as unforgettable.
—Samantha Chaney, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
About 63% said higher price at the pump is causing some financial hardship in their households, the CNN survey showed, including roughly 15% who describe the situation as severe.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Yet key dramatic moments—a shooting, the robbers’ realization that the bank vault is empty—occurred in a hallway invisible to the audience, described secondhand.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for describe
Cite this Entry
“Describe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/describe. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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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