by definition

idiom

: because of what something or someone is : according to the definition of a word that is being used to describe someone or something
A volunteer by definition is not paid.
A glider is by definition an aircraft with no engine.

Examples of by definition in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But, on the other, how remarkable for a child to write this about his parents, and to set it down in a memoir, which must be, by definition, about one’s own behavior. James Wood, New Yorker, 14 July 2025 The assumption was that development, by definition, brought benefits to the region. Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 13 July 2025 First of all, by definition, a gaming laptop must have a discrete graphics chip, and this is the least expensive gaming machine with a 14-inch screen on the market being sold as a current, new model. PC Magazine, 9 July 2025 Lack Of Edge Case Data Synthetic data can help address the challenge of edge cases in your real-world data, which, by definition, doesn’t have enough examples to create a training set. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for by definition

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“By definition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20definition. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!