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:
The alliance says the government “made the right call to better align fuel economy standards with the law and current market conditions.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
These particles could align with Earth's magnetic field and behave like microscopic compass needles.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026
Disney is reportedly planning a restructuring of its TV operations to better align with the demands of streaming.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
While Micron’s earnings report doesn’t align with the usual calendar schedule that other companies follow, FactSet considers the company’s results to be part of the third quarter.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 27, 2026
She nudged an unopened box of Sal Hepatica a little with the trowel of her extended fingers to align it with the other sempervirents in its row, and then closed the cabinet door.
From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger
The letter aligns with the Commission’s work and is a valuable contribution to a continuing debate over how to address economic risks and imbalances, a spokesman said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
A spokesperson said: "We encourage students to select accommodation that aligns with their lifestyle preferences and budget throughout the application process."
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
For Samantha, she said what makes headlines rarely aligns with her own experience at Burning Man.
From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026
For the last few weeks, the Rams have practiced in the late afternoon, which aligns body clock-wise with their impending morning kickoff in Melbourne.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
I watch as she aligns her two yellow pencils.
From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
This involves preparing the atomic nuclei so that their spins are aligned before fusion occurs, which can increase the fusion reaction rate.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2026
But the minutes merely said that most of the committee expected another hike before the end of the year, a framing aligned with key Fed officials who have downplayed an October hike.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
It added that "Albanian legislation will have to be aligned with the EU" before the crucial Chapter 27 environmental elements of the accession talks, relating to waste management, water and air quality, "can be closed".
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
"There are a lot of factors at play but at a broader level, the problem is that the economic development of the region is not aligned to its ecological integrity," Singh said.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
As a large contingent of whites headed toward Hayti, they came face to face with another group of blacks not traditionally aligned with the civil rights movement.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
The characters grapple with the difficulty of aligning their moral callings with the competitive nature of professional success.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
"What Egypt is seeking is strategic autonomy: not breaking with Washington, not aligning completely with Beijing, but creating enough room to pursue its own national interests," he added.
From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026
It is common practice for the state to consider aligning its tax code with the federal structure to make filing taxes easier and administering them more cheaply.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026
There are pitfalls to aligning too closely however, as Reading and Charlton Athletic have previously discovered.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Once it reached the port's retractor mechanism, the automated system clamped on to the boom and pulled it in, aligning and orienting the probe automatically.
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
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.
