Synonyms

define

American

[dih-fahyn] / dɪˈfaɪn /

verb (used with object)

to state or set forth the meaning of (a word, phrase, etc.).

They disagreed on how to define “liberal.”
to explain or identify the nature or essential qualities of; describe.

to define judicial functions.
to fix or lay down clearly and definitely; specify distinctly.

to define one's responsibilities.

Synonyms:

enumerate, detail, describe, name, state
to determine or fix the boundaries or extent of.

to define property with stakes.
to make clear the outline or form of.

The roof was boldly defined against the sky.

verb (used without object)

to set forth the meaning of a word, phrase, etc.; construct a definition.

define British

/ dɪˈfaɪn /

verb

to state precisely the meaning of (words, terms, etc)
to describe the nature, properties, or essential qualities of
to determine the boundary or extent of
(often passive) to delineate the form or outline of

the shape of the tree was clearly defined by the light behind it
to fix with precision; specify

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

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Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of define

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English def(f)inen, from Anglo-French, Old French definer “to put an end to,” from Latin dēfīnīre ”to limit, define,“ equivalent to dē- “from, away from, out of” + fīnīre “to end”; see origin at de-, finish

Explanation

If you can't define a word, turn to the dictionary. That's always the best way to learn the definition. Likewise, anything you can describe completely is something you can define. The early French and Latin roots of the verb mean something closer to "to limit" or "to create a boundary," but this is really what we do when we define something: we limit its meaning to something specific. So when you're thinking about the word define, remember that you're looking to create a boundary of meaning around it, whether you're specifying the meaning of a word or a larger concept. To define a word such as astronomy is to define both the word and the realm of science that it's concerned with.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing define

The Language of Standardized Tests, List 1

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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List

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The ACT: The Language of the Test, List 1

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

define defines defined defining

Wells dismissed those fears on Thursday and said a previous clause in the draft legislation that would have granted ministerial powers to define harmful content had been removed.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

Black cabinetry and a sizable island also define the space, which is well-suited for entertaining.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026

The allegations against her are false, she said, and she won’t allow them to define her “decades of public service” and intends to “vigorously defend my name, my reputation, and my integrity.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

Explaining his experiences of learning to stand up to bullies while growing up, he added: "It shouldn't define you. I just happen to have CP."

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

A similar phenomenon had followed slavery and Reconstruction, as white elites struggled to define a new racial order with the understanding that whatever the new order would be, it could not include slavery.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

The statute defines “videotape service provider” to include any person in the business of delivering “prerecorded video cassette tapes or similar audio visual materials.”

From Slate ● Oct. 17, 2026

Mejia demanded the information, much of which was also requested by The Times, as required in the 2021 contract that defines the working relationship between LA28 and the host city of the 2028 games.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

That devastation defines the region Ukraine has just recaptured.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

"There's no magic line" dictating what defines a nation, he told AFP, but noted Alberta's case for nationhood appears harder to make than that of other groups, like Catalans, Scots and French-speaking Canadians in Quebec.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

“You know, an image that defines what that day was about for her.”

From "Adrift" by Paul Griffin

This behavior, known as one-dimensional pinning-free vortex flow, means the vortices can travel along a defined path without encountering the usual obstacles that restrict their movement.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

The opening days of Zacharia’s tenure have been defined by questions over claims she has made about her background.

From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026

The legislation aims to incentivise research and investment into the treatment of rare types of cancer, defined as those affecting fewer than 1 in every 2,000 people.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

A market correction is generally defined as a decline of at least 10% from a peak, while a drop of at least 20% marks the threshold for a bear market.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026

That's the equivalent of asking someone with a beer gut for tips on how to get a defined six-pack.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi

I also think Elon Musk, having seen the ascent of Steve Jobs, was sort of defining himself in that way too – or going back to Thomas Edison, who had his own P.T.

From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026

Characters are fully voiced in some scenes, while the soundtrack, one of the original game's defining features, has been newly orchestrated.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

But the second, in Port Moresby, brought a memorable - and defining - 20-16 victory for the hosts.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 222,000 copies in its first week, and produced three of the band’s defining songs: “Aerials,” “Toxicity,” and “Chop Suey!”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026

Briony resisted because she wanted to chase in solitude the faint thrill of possibility she had felt before, the elusive excitement at a prospect she was coming close to defining, at least emotionally.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023