align
Americanverb (used with object)
-
aligns,
present (3rd person singular)
-
aligned,
past participle, past
-
aligning
present participle
-
to arrange in a straight line; adjust according to a line.
- Synonyms:
- straighten
-
to bring into a line or alignment.
- Synonyms:
- straighten
-
to bring into cooperation or agreement with a particular group, party, cause, etc..
He aligned himself with the liberals.
-
to adjust (two or more components of an electronic circuit) to improve the response over a frequency band, as to align the tuned circuits of a radio receiver for proper tracking throughout its frequency range, or a television receiver for appropriate wide-band responses.
verb (used without object)
-
aligns,
present (3rd person singular)
-
aligned,
past participle, past
-
aligning
present participle
-
to fall or come into line; be in line.
-
to join with others in a cause.
verb
-
to place or become placed in a line
-
to bring (components or parts, such as the wheels of a car) into proper or desirable coordination or relation
-
to bring (a person, country, etc) into agreement or cooperation with the policy, etc of another person or group
-
(tr) psychol to integrate or harmonize the aims, practices, etc of a group
-
(usually foll by with) psychol to identify with or match the behaviour, thoughts, etc of another person
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
alignsimple
-
alignssimple
-
have alignedperfect
-
has alignedperfect
-
am aligningprogressive
-
are aligningprogressive
-
is aligningprogressive
-
have been aligningperfect progressive
-
has been aligningperfect progressive
Past
-
alignedsimple
-
had alignedperfect
-
was aligningprogressive
-
were aligningprogressive
-
had been aligningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of align
First recorded in 1685–95; from French aligner, equivalent to a- “toward” + ligner, from Latin līneāre, derivative of līnea “line”; see origin at a- 5, line 1
Explanation
To align means to bring something into a straight line, or an easy agreement. If you always park on an angle and people are leaving mean notes on your windshield, learn to align the car with the parking space. Align comes from the French a, meaning "to" and ligne meaning "line," and it means to bring something into line with something else. This can be literal. If you are hanging a painting, you'll want to align it with the window frame. The line can also be metaphorical. If you run for office, your political opinions will need to be aligned with those of your supporters.
Vocabulary lists containing align
The Crossover
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Excerpt from "The Philosophy of Literary Form" by Kenneth Burke
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Unit 4: Powerful Openings
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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:
"If the political will and financing align, it is doable in the short term," Larochelle told AFP.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
These wires naturally tend to align with the polarization direction of incoming light.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 18, 2026
“Up until this point, we have really seen most Republicans align with President Trump’s policies,” Adriel Orozco, senior policy counsel at the American Immigration Council, told me.
From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026
Australia’s Trigg Minerals, which is focused on tungsten and antimony in the Western U.S., last year decided to rename itself to align with “U.S. national security interests and U.S. federal government procurement objectives.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
“It will do you and our daughter no good to align yourselves with the past,” William said, sounding frustrated.
From "Ash" by Malinda Lo
It’s an album that aligns with each musician’s trademarks — characterized by Lange’s soothing electronica and Reyna’s eclectic elasticity — but an entirely unique work within their respective discographies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
She adds that while socks and sandals have become a viral fashion trend "it's important to consider whether a trend aligns with the image you want to communicate professionally".
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
This aligns with the developments in the race, as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who was loath to get involved in the race, jumped in to endorse Stevens late in the contest.
From Slate ● Aug. 1, 2026
But McElwee’s nonlinear construction and brusque, confessional narration slowly transform the film into something much deeper, a poignant work of art that instantly yet subtly aligns itself with the great stories of our time.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
I watch as she aligns her two yellow pencils.
From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
“We posted a video to our channels that ultimately depicted actions that are not aligned with our values as a brand. We have since taken that content down, and sincerely apologize,” the company said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
And while this August has also been hot and dry, some parents argue that an earlier break would be better aligned with the UK's typically warmer and drier mid-summer weather.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
“Many couples aren’t aligned in their risk tolerance,” Passehl said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
From those measurements, they determined that the magnetic and rotational axes of 1E 1547 are almost aligned.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 18, 2026
I greatly admired the president when he gave his televised Civil Rights speech on the night of June 11, 1963, and aligned himself solidly with the Civil Rights movement.
From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry
His obsessive court rituals — including meticulously aligning his water bottles and executing his precise pre-point routines — were not merely superstitions, but coping mechanisms in a high-stress, solitary sport.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
From the jump, it’s hard to shake the feeling that “Tony” is mistakenly aligning itself with the public’s idea of Bourdain rather than the man’s reality.
From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026
There are pitfalls to aligning too closely however, as Reading and Charlton Athletic have previously discovered.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
How should employers respond to Gen Z’s ethical concerns about their work having a positive impact and aligning with their social values?
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
Obiora placed the containers under the tap, aligning the open mouths with the rushing water.
From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
