describe

verb

de·​scribe di-ˈskrīb 

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 describe …

—James 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

di-ˈskrī-bə-bəl 

adjective

describer noun

Synonyms

• delineate
• depict
• draw
• image
• limn
• paint
• picture
• portray
• render
• set out
• sketch

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

Patel is a 29-year-old municipal council member who also describes herself as a progressive. —Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 22 Apr. 2024

And, hitting shelves Tuesday, novelist Amy Tan in The Backyard Bird Chronicles tightens the focus in describing and drawing the array of birds that visit her yard in California. —Barbara J. King, NPR, 22 Apr. 2024

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

Phrases Containing describe

• can't even begin to describe

Kids 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

describable

-ˈskrī-bə-bəl 

adjective

describer noun