as in to describe
to give a representation or account of in words
he limned the scene in the courtroom so perfectly I could practically see it
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Recent Examples of limn
The adjacent desperations of the Emory family are meant to limn the material and psychological effects of living under the threat of anti-Blackness in America.
—
Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2021
Nonetheless, Democrats want to be perceived as favoring virtually universal suffrage, and to limn their conservative and Republican opposition as favoring vote suppression.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 3 Nov. 2020
Her poems, which have appeared in The New Yorker for over thirty years, limn the legacies of history, in her home country and beyond, and reckon especially with the repression of women’s accomplishments, realities, and inner lives.
—Hannah Aizenman, The New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2020
Also stuffed not inelegantly between the microcosmic doings are several larger incidents that limn the bloody and brutal history of the two centuries, including South American totalitarianism, European pogroms and the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina.
—Washington Post, 2 Feb. 2020
See All Example Sentences for limn
Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2021
Nonetheless, Democrats want to be perceived as favoring virtually universal suffrage, and to limn their conservative and Republican opposition as favoring vote suppression.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 3 Nov. 2020
Her poems, which have appeared in The New Yorker for over thirty years, limn the legacies of history, in her home country and beyond, and reckon especially with the repression of women’s accomplishments, realities, and inner lives.
—Hannah Aizenman, The New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2020
Also stuffed not inelegantly between the microcosmic doings are several larger incidents that limn the bloody and brutal history of the two centuries, including South American totalitarianism, European pogroms and the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina.
—Washington Post, 2 Feb. 2020
See All Example Sentences for limn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for limn
Verb
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These are some of the ways people have described their experience.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 July 2025
-
Police describe the suspect as Black, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black face mask.—
Drake Bentley,
jsonline.com,
12 July 2025
Verb
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All that being said, Angel Reese or any Black man or woman should never be called or depicted as a Monkey.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
11 July 2025
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Instead, the model ended up depicting World War II Nazis as Black.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
11 July 2025
Verb
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The latter has portrayed The Waitress — the object of Day's character Charlie Kelly's obsessive, unrequited love — in 37 episodes across 16 seasons of the long-running FX series.—
Erin Clack,
People.com,
6 July 2025
-
Many analysts portrayed the decision as a victory for Trump, and some Democrats lashed out at the court.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
4 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Limn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/limn. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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