1
as in depicting
to give a representation or account of in words
he tried to describe the dream he had last night as accurately as he could
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in telling
to give an oral or written account of in some detail
a biography of Washington that describes the decisive Battle of Yorktown at great length
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in characterizing
to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group
how would you describe the Inupiat people you encountered in Alaska?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of describing
Unicredit beats watch now Italian bank Unicredit also posted quarterly earnings above expectations on Wednesday, describing the three months to the end of September as a record quarter.
—
Chloe Taylor,tasmin Lockwood,katrina Bishop,holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2025
After walking through the results of the study and describing the peril that cancer poses, Mokdad suggested to the officials that Lebanon could improve its health screening, ban smoking in public spaces and launch a set of aggressive anti-tobacco ads.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 22 Oct. 2025
Yerneni admits to struggling with flight anxiety herself, describing how witnessing her intern’s calm was unexpectedly reassuring.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Platner sought to further distance himself from the comments, posted online between 2013 and 2021, during an interview on the Democratic podcast Pod Save America that was posted Tuesday, describing them as the ramblings of a recent military veteran.
—Fortune Editors, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
Since their 23-9 win Sunday against the Browns, the Steelers have not minced words when describing the playing surface for the game.
—Mike Defabo, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Velasquez, who was wearing a seatbelt, was not injured and has not been charged in what officials are describing as an accident on a dark road.
—Susan Young, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025
Raimi quips, describing the image of McAdams holding the weapon.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Oct. 2025
While describing her reentry as a work in progress, Teng has found a new creative realm by building a community around music and climate action on Patreon.
—Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Chloe Taylor,tasmin Lockwood,katrina Bishop,holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2025
After walking through the results of the study and describing the peril that cancer poses, Mokdad suggested to the officials that Lebanon could improve its health screening, ban smoking in public spaces and launch a set of aggressive anti-tobacco ads.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 22 Oct. 2025
Yerneni admits to struggling with flight anxiety herself, describing how witnessing her intern’s calm was unexpectedly reassuring.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Platner sought to further distance himself from the comments, posted online between 2013 and 2021, during an interview on the Democratic podcast Pod Save America that was posted Tuesday, describing them as the ramblings of a recent military veteran.
—Fortune Editors, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
Since their 23-9 win Sunday against the Browns, the Steelers have not minced words when describing the playing surface for the game.
—Mike Defabo, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Velasquez, who was wearing a seatbelt, was not injured and has not been charged in what officials are describing as an accident on a dark road.
—Susan Young, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025
Raimi quips, describing the image of McAdams holding the weapon.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Oct. 2025
While describing her reentry as a work in progress, Teng has found a new creative realm by building a community around music and climate action on Patreon.
—Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for describing
Verb
-
There is no alternative to it, not in the world Pasolini is depicting.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Tours range from two to four hours, with highlights including the New York Streets backlot, which has façades depicting a multitude of NYC neighborhoods, and the Prop Warehouse, which showcases recognizable props such as the bench from Forrest Gump and a Star Trek portal.—
Sophie-Claire Hoeller,
Vogue,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The lore of the position is passed between players like travelers telling tales at a campfire.—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
There’s no telling how expensive the wardrobe budget is on the film, but this lookalike style is just $30 right now.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But Rodriguez and Patacsil expressed skepticism about how other members were characterizing that advice.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, condemned the protest, characterizing it as an attempt to obstruct law enforcement operations.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Actor Wilson Cruz cited Rebel Without a Cause as a massive influence on his life and career as a gay man portraying a gay character.—
Skyler Trepel,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Star Kenzi Richardson spoke with Parents about her adventures portraying a teen vampire and making her dreams come true on Disney Channel.—
Allison McClain Merrill,
Parents,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Another victim came to court, recounting a history of domestic abuse including choking and slapping by the defendant.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
-
The 34-year-old shared a series of photos on her Instagram recounting her recent trip to Dallas, which included a few snaps alongside her mom Michelle Duggar and several of her sisters.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Urbana always had a conservative bent, but its politics have become a defining feature in the intervening years.—
Grace Byron,
New Yorker,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Here, teachers aren’t supposed to tell students that the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 — a defining incident of racial violence in Oklahoma history — was perpetrated by racists.—
Jennifer Smith Richards,
ProPublica,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Blender, a hugely popular 3D rendering app that works with an associated Blender Benchmark utility, told a far different story.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Thereafter, the Karem Abu Salem crossing—the only commercial crossing through which goods and aid are allowed to enter the Strip—was forcibly closed, rendering the citizens of the Gaza Strip generally, and the north of Gaza specifically, to confront the specter of hunger once again.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The song, which is the second track on the album, makes several references and nods to some of Taylor's famous life, while also seemingly relating them to Swift.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
-
The Libra balanced scales also teach us that relating is a paradox.—
Colin Bedell,
Them.,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Describing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/describing. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share