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:
Fielder tells Holmes that he was reminded of the bit the day before, when Holmes tried to describe the science and intention of Theranos in front of its deconstructed prototype.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC asked Dobson how he would describe Brand's character as he got to know him before he was famous.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
He went on to describe what was essentially just a buffet, albeit one with uncommonly excellent seafood, all hauled from chilly waters nearby and eaten at communal tables.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
He went on to describe his relationship with a niece who has Down syndrome and looks like him, and to talk about a coffee shop his family owns that employs people with her disability.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
I don’t think any of us really has words to describe how we’re feeling in this moment.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
This measurement describes the amount of optical error in the system, or how far the incoming light deviates from an ideal, perfectly focused wavefront.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026
Mr. Silvertown adeptly describes what happens inside a leaf as it works its photosynthetic magic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Martins describes it as an “exacerbation of inequality.”
From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026
He also spoke about the early days of adjusting to a new club and home, something he describes as "really difficult".
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
The way he describes this place makes it sound like the great bazaars of northern Africa I’ve read about in books.
From "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" by William Kamkwamba
As she described being overwhelmed, her band slowly revved up her song “Wrecking Ball.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
In an April interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America,” she described the allegations as devastating to their family and his career.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
The breakthrough, described in the Nature portfolio journal Light: Science and Applications, could lead to advances in cancer research, drug development, infectious disease studies, and investigations of how plants interact with microorganisms.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026
Christine Gardner described support from the clinic as "amazing"
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
You may think that what I’ve described is a very pleasant-looking bird.
From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el
The Eddington limit is a theoretical benchmark describing the point at which the outward pressure produced by radiation balances the inward pull of gravity.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
The trio ran a lean operation, describing themselves at various points as a media company, a consulting agency and an investment firm.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
"You need to be here and suffer with us in order to gain that privilege," he said, describing their message to him.
From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026
But after his wife read a magazine article about advances in prosthetics, describing how they had progressed from basic skin grafts to realistic artificial ears, Gilbert went to his GP.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
Chicken looked out his window, describing the trucks with blinking lights.
From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
