1
as in tracing
to draw or make apparent the outline of
the glass skyscraper's sleek silhouette was strikingly defined by the setting sun to its west
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2
as in describing
to mark the limits of
the river defines the town on the south
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3
as in characterizing
to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group
a woman who is defined by her unswerving loyalty to her friends
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in specifying
to give the rules about (something) clearly and exactly
let me define the task so that there is no doubt in your minds about what needs to be done
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of defining
Finally, set yourself up for success in the new year by defining clear financial goals.
—
Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 4 Oct. 2024
Never mind caring about any of these characters, a word that should technically be in scare quotes here, though kudos to the cast for being so nimble in switching personality traits, defining tics and signature cadences on a dime.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2024
The chef discussed his desire to familiarize his compatriots with true Ukrainian cuisine, his commitment to feeding them throughout the war, and the role of food in defining national identity.
—Martin Kuz, The Christian Science Monitor, 2 Oct. 2024
Start by defining your target audience and understanding which creators resonate with that demographic.
—Sergi Cerrato, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
But generational demographics are far from the only segments defining those shopping on Temu.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 2 Oct. 2024
This includes defining clear data governance policies, employing data filtering and aggregation techniques to focus on the most relevant data and using advanced data visualization tools to present actionable insights.
—Fabio Belloni, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
Sign up for Notepad by Tom Warren, a weekly newsletter uncovering the secrets and strategy behind Microsoft’s era-defining bets on AI, gaming, and computing.
—Tom Warren, The Verge, 2 Oct. 2024
Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 4 Oct. 2024
Never mind caring about any of these characters, a word that should technically be in scare quotes here, though kudos to the cast for being so nimble in switching personality traits, defining tics and signature cadences on a dime.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2024
The chef discussed his desire to familiarize his compatriots with true Ukrainian cuisine, his commitment to feeding them throughout the war, and the role of food in defining national identity.
—Martin Kuz, The Christian Science Monitor, 2 Oct. 2024
Start by defining your target audience and understanding which creators resonate with that demographic.
—Sergi Cerrato, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
But generational demographics are far from the only segments defining those shopping on Temu.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 2 Oct. 2024
This includes defining clear data governance policies, employing data filtering and aggregation techniques to focus on the most relevant data and using advanced data visualization tools to present actionable insights.
—Fabio Belloni, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
Sign up for Notepad by Tom Warren, a weekly newsletter uncovering the secrets and strategy behind Microsoft’s era-defining bets on AI, gaming, and computing.
—Tom Warren, The Verge, 2 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defining
Verb
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Their findings also revealed that residents of the seaside resort favored by wealthy Romans had diverse backgrounds, primarily tracing their ancestry to eastern Mediterranean immigrants, highlighting the mobility of people and the multicultural nature of the Roman Empire.Hannah Peart, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2024
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By tracing the distribution of galaxies throughout the universe’s history, the telescope can also uncover more about dark energy.Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Di Santo was describing the amount of work needed to gather information to use in carbon reporting, including the need to track the annual mileage of vehicles.Jon McGowan, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
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The Children's Museum of Indianapolis shared a video to Instagram on Thursday where an employee walks around the museum describing exhibits using niche Gen Z internet slang.Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Oct. 2024
Verb
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On Berger's desk is a poster of sketches and notes outlining every era designed by one of her precocious granddaughters.Bryan West, USA TODAY, 4 Oct. 2024
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In particular, each finalist gave a seven-minute pitch outlining the concept, vision and innovation in front of the panel gathered at Le Meurice hotel.Sandra Salibian, WWD, 2 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Kimmy towels off, changes into shorts and a long-sleeve shirt, and before long is bounding into the thickets on the south side of the lake, following an overgrown trail.Kate Siber, Outside Online, 24 Sep. 2024
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Kimmy towels off, changes into shorts and a long-sleeve shirt, and before long is bounding into the thickets on the south side of the lake, following an overgrown trail.Kate Siber, Outside Online, 24 Sep. 2024
Verb
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Anti-Voodoo rhetoric stoked fears of Black people in New Orleans and other Southern cities, portraying the religions as evil instigators of slave rebellions.Aisha M. Beliso-De Jesús / Made by History, TIME, 4 Oct. 2024
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In the aftermath, the white planter class weaponized the religious aspects of the rebellion, portraying Black people as savage, predatory, and dangerous.Aisha M. Beliso-De Jesús / Made by History, TIME, 4 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Airport runway capacity remains arguably the most significant constraining factor limiting growth in flight operations.London School of Economics, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
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To protect their work, creators would need to place all their new content behind paywalls, limiting exposure and reducing the opportunity for the viral audiences that are often the way the public discovers new artists.David Pakman, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2024
Verb
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The traditional economic rules governing other businesses, such as supply and demand, don’t apply either.Matteo Atti, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
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While anti-Russian sentiment runs high in Georgia, there are fears that the governing Georgian Dream party is eroding the country’s relationship with the West and leaning dangerously toward appeasing Russia.Fredric Dannen, Billboard, 4 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near defining
Cite this Entry
“Defining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defining. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
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