delineated

American  

[dih-lin-ee-ey-tid] / dɪˈlɪn iˌeɪ tɪd /

adjective

1. precisely traced or outlined.

   The crisply delineated form of the arch stands out against the soft clouds of steam that rise from the courtyard.

2. precisely defined or explained.

   The Shire ends at clearly delineated boundaries.

   Checklists are used to promote the recording and verification of delineated steps in tasks that, if improperly completed, could result in dangerous or damaging outcomes.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of delineate.

Other Word Forms

• undelineated adjective
• well-delineated adjective

Etymology

Origin of delineated

delineate ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

Delineated describes something that has been clearly portrayed or accurately represented. Read a love letter in which your admirer’s feelings are delineated, and you don’t have any doubt how the author feels about you. The word delineated can describe something — like a diagram or map — that was literally drawn clearly. More often, you will hear the word in relation to something less tangible — like how a character in a novel is delineated, or depicted, by an author, or a politician who gave a speech in which her position was delineated, or defined. You might try to remember the word delineated by thinking of it as something with clearly defined lines.

Example Sentences

OpenAI has promised that its ads will never influence how ChatGPT answers questions and will always remain clearly delineated from other content.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

The front of the coin will feature Trump in profile, with his trademark 1967 Las Vegas lounge act hairstyle delineated in fine detail.

From Salon • Oct. 7, 2025

The wildfire–urban fire distinction matters because it determines both who is vulnerable to such disasters—a much broader section of neighborhoods than is delineated by fire-risk maps—and how to address the problem.

From Slate • Jan. 14, 2025

"Brain areas involved in processing numbers can be delineated and extra care taken to avoid damaging these areas during neurosurgical interventions," said lead author Alexander Rockhill, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher in Raslan's lab.

From Science Daily • Dec. 3, 2024

I want her madness clearly delineated so that I can trace its history and my own.

From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon

Related Words

• descriptive
• illustrated
• photographic
• visual
• vivid