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Synonyms

define

American

[dih-fahyn] / dɪˈfaɪn /

verb (used with object)

to state or set forth the meaning of (a word, phrase, etc.).

They disagreed on how to define “liberal.”
to explain or identify the nature or essential qualities of; describe.

to define judicial functions.
to fix or lay down clearly and definitely; specify distinctly.

to define one's responsibilities.

Synonyms:

enumerate, detail, describe, name, state
to determine or fix the boundaries or extent of.

to define property with stakes.
to make clear the outline or form of.

The roof was boldly defined against the sky.

verb (used without object)

to set forth the meaning of a word, phrase, etc.; construct a definition.

define British

/ dɪˈfaɪn /

verb

to state precisely the meaning of (words, terms, etc)
to describe the nature, properties, or essential qualities of
to determine the boundary or extent of
(often passive) to delineate the form or outline of

the shape of the tree was clearly defined by the light behind it
to fix with precision; specify

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of define

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English def(f)inen, from Anglo-French, Old French definer “to put an end to,” from Latin dēfīnīre ”to limit, define,“ equivalent to dē- “from, away from, out of” + fīnīre “to end”; see origin at de-, finish

Explanation

If you can't define a word, turn to the dictionary. That's always the best way to learn the definition. Likewise, anything you can describe completely is something you can define. The early French and Latin roots of the verb mean something closer to "to limit" or "to create a boundary," but this is really what we do when we define something: we limit its meaning to something specific. So when you're thinking about the word define, remember that you're looking to create a boundary of meaning around it, whether you're specifying the meaning of a word or a larger concept. To define a word such as astronomy is to define both the word and the realm of science that it's concerned with.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing define

The Language of Standardized Tests, List 1

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

The ACT: The Language of the Test, List 1

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!

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:

define defines defined defining

The companies that used to define an index, going public early in their growth, now opt to wait.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026

Their conversation explores characters who hide their true nature behind carefully constructed personas, the role of technology in enabling obsession and revenge, and the social rituals that define contemporary London.

From Slate ● Aug. 15, 2026

Scientists do not currently agree on exactly what belongs in that category, a problem Kennedy summarized with characteristic bluntness: “If you can’t define a problem, you can’t solve it.”

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026

Others define liquidity more loosely to include undrawn amounts that aren’t immediately available to borrow.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026

I was beginning to understand and define a new word: segregation.

From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals

The central question is whether a reward is “economically or functionally equivalent” to interest on a bank deposit, a test the bill never defines.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

“Offering a generous 20-foot-wide footprint and spanning 5,000 square feet, this six-bedroom, six-bath residence defines timeless urban sophistication,” the listing crowed.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026

In Seoul's affluent district of Gangnam, a severe heatwave has changed the currency of cool: access to air conditioning now defines the line between the haves and the have-nots.

From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026

Yet beneath this narrative of journalistic fortitude lies a far more transactional reality that defines modern Washington media.

From Salon ● Jul. 29, 2026

“Lisa must love this place, though. It pretty much defines outdoorsy.”

From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed

Your provisional income, as defined by the Internal Revenue Service, includes half of your Social Security benefits plus other taxable income and tax-exempt interest.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026

Over his first two seasons in the majors, Paul Skenes’s career was defined by making the impossible look mundane.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Their goal was to understand how people first learn the value of different options in clearly defined situations and which options they later favor when those choices are presented in new combinations.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 13, 2026

The genre dispute was represented by two rival record companies that defined 1990s hip-hop: Knight's Death Row Records and Sean "Diddy" Combs' Bad Boy Records.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

Yet aside from his military prowess, manners and charity were two other merits that defined his noble lineage.

From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el

Something new to listen to: Six years ago, indie rocker Phoebe Bridgers’ last solo album became one of the defining records of the decade.

From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026

He then invokes the term at least a dozen times before defining it—belief “in a Spiritual Law that exists apart from the physical world”—26 pages later.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Of course, when the dancers of the Los Angeles Ballet dress for rehearsal, they’re not concerned with defining a trendy aesthetic.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

His red card against Paris St-Germain in the 2024 Champions League quarter-finals became one of the defining moments of his Barcelona career, with his dismissal helping turn the tie in PSG's favour.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

Over one thousand Panthers were jailed, many on false charges, as a result of informants, perpetual surveillance, and other law enforcement tactics that would later become defining features of the War on Drugs.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023