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
Last Summer in the City seems to limn his own life: Like Calligarich, the novel’s protagonist, Leo Gazarra, leaves Milan for Rome and a writing job, and when that job disappears, spends his summer days at the beach and his nights drifting from party to party, woman to woman.
—
Vogue, 29 May 2021
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
See All Example Sentences for limn
Vogue, 29 May 2021
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
See All Example Sentences for limn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for limn
Verb
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If so, Scoresby unwittingly described the effects of a shift in the quantity of solar radiation that reached Earth’s surface.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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On August 22, she was attacked while on a Charlotte light train in what police described as an unprovoked stabbing.—
Marni Rose McFall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Xander highlights one of the most fascinating intricacies of Florida culture and depicts how environmentalism, adventure and eccentric personalities all combine to do good for the state’s wildlife population.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
23 Oct. 2025
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The intention at least seems to be to depict a woman with breasts engorged with breastmilk.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Pennywise has now been portrayed in a miniseries, two films, and now series, but only by two actors.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Oct. 2025
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Prettejohn portrayed a young Princess Elizabeth in the sixth season of Netflix’s The Crown and will next be seen in the musical drama The Testament of Ann Lee from The Brutalist scribe Mona Fastvold, which premiered in Venice ahead of a Christmas Day release.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Limn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/limn. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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