describe
Americanverb (used with object)
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describes,
present (3rd person singular)
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described,
past participle, past
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describing
present participle
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to tell or depict in written or spoken words; give an account of.
He described the accident very carefully.
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to pronounce, as by a designating term, phrase, or the like; label.
There are few people who may be described as geniuses.
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to indicate; be a sign of; denote.
Conceit, in many cases, describes a state of serious emotional insecurity.
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to represent or delineate by a picture or figure.
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Geometry. to draw or trace the outline of.
to describe an arc.
verb
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to give an account or representation of in words
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to pronounce or label
he has been described as a genius
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to draw a line or figure, such as a circle
Synonym Usage
Describe, narrate agree in the idea of giving an account of something. To describe is to convey in words the appearance, nature, attributes, etc., of something. The word often implies vividness of personal observation: to describe a scene, an event. To narrate is to recount the occurrence of something, usually by giving the details of an event or events in the order of their happening. Narrate thus applies only to that which happens over time: to narrate an incident.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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describabilitynoun
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describernoun
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undescribablenessnoun
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overdescribeverb (used with object)
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predescribeverb (used with object)
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redescribeverb (used with object)
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describableadjective
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nondescribableadjective
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self-describedadjective
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undescribableadjective
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undescribedadjective
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well-describedadjective
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describablyadverb
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undescribablyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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describesimple
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describessimple
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have describedperfect
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has describedperfect
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am describingprogressive
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are describingprogressive
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is describingprogressive
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have been describingperfect progressive
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has been describingperfect progressive
Past
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describedsimple
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had describedperfect
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was describingprogressive
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were describingprogressive
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had been describingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of describe
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English describen, from Latin dēscrībere, equivalent to dē- de- + scrībere “to write”
Explanation
To describe is to report details about something either out loud or in writing. "Since we can't come to Paris with you, please describe it in your letter!" Describe is from the Latin word describere which means "to write down." When you describe something, you're "da" scribe, the person writing things down! Writing teachers love to have students describe, using lots of details using the five senses and figurative language. It doesn't have to be written down, though — you can also describe that gold dress you saw to your friend on the phone. Or you can describe a circle, by sketching it out with a stick in the sand.
Vocabulary lists containing describe
The Language of Standardized Tests, List 1
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PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade7)
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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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:
“I don’t know how to describe it, but filmmaking became a religion, as opposed to something that I could do. It fused with me.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
Model alignment is a term commonly used by researchers to describe AI that acts in ways that match human intentions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
Some groups describe their U.S.-based work as facilitating immigration or volunteerism.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
According to the researchers, it is among the first studies to describe what an ideal model of postpartum care in the U.S. could look like.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026
I never thought I’d hear that word being used to describe me.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
Badly treated at home, a place he describes as “a hand grenade with the pin half pulled,” young Sylvester was thrown out of a dozen schools as his family moved from one situation to another.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
The firm’s head of wealth management and field management describes the strategies and tools its advisors are using to build trust with clients and help them reach their goals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
The former describes when you are focused on the person — you wish they didn’t have the experiences or opportunities you want.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
She also describes the food and the people on the ship as great.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
It was a dramatic meeting, as Theo describes it to Vincent.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
When the French socialist Louis Blanc referred to le capitalisme in 1850, he described “the appropriation of capital by some to the exclusion of others.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
She described O'Lali as "a hateful, evil person".
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
In June, the 46-year-old shared that she and Jelly Roll have managed to navigate what she described as the “best divorce.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026
Tuesday's screening was attended by celebrities including Zach Cregger, Hannah Einbinder, Meg Stalter, Aziz Ansari and Hasan Piker, and during a discussion afterward the directors described their experience as "really sad and hard at times."
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Willis, who ran a publication devoted to high fashion and current trends, described all three Fox sisters as, “considerably prettier than average.”
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
"She represented the last straw" of popular anger at unaffordable housing, said Rodriguez, who has lived in Madrid all his life, describing real estate prices in Spain as "crazy".
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
The envy you’re describing is uncomfortable, frustrating and totally natural.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
Savage is adamant about keeping security focused on serving trans patrons, describing the difficult experience of being harassed by security guards at other clubs if the gender on your ID doesn’t match how you present.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
Luke Ihnen, one of Pike's lawyers, began by describing the "roadblocks" that have made it challenging to communicate with his client.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
At the bottom of a block of writing describing women’s shelters are Sarah’s name and phone number, as a support person.
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
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.
