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Synonyms

well-defined

American  
[wel-di-fahynd] / ˈwɛl dɪˈfaɪnd /

adjective

  1. sharply or clearly stated, outlined, described, etc..

    a well-defined character; a well-defined boundary.
well-defined British  

adjective

  1. clearly delineated, described, or determined

"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

Etymology

Origin of well-defined

First recorded in 1695–1705

Vocabulary lists containing well-defined

Obvious

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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.

Mr. Kominek is more difficult to read; his comedy roots are showing and his role, as written, is less a well-defined character than a vehicle for lowbrow humor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

"Instead, hydrogen moves preferentially along well-defined helical pathways embedded within an ordered carbon structure."

From Science Daily • Apr. 21, 2026

Spaces are well-defined and venerable terms in physics and math.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

This provides an excellent opportunity for Congress to establish sensible criteria and well-defined remedies for each category of tariffs.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 23, 2026

He was wearing faded jeans, scuffed work boots, and a sleeveless T-shirt that showed off his tan and well-defined biceps and forearms.

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith

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.