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describe - 20 thesaurus results
| Main Entry: | describe |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | explain in speech, writing |
| Synonyms: | call, characterize, chronicle, communicate, construe, define, delineate, depict, detail, distinguish, draw, elucidate, epitomize, exemplify, explicate, expound, express, illuminate, illustrate, image, impart, interpret, label, limn, name, narrate, outline, paint, picture, portray, recite, recount, rehearse, relate, report, represent, sketch, specify, state, tell, term, trace, transmit, convey image, make apparent, make clear, make sense of, make vivid, mark out, particularize, write up |
| Antonyms: | confuse, misrepresent, mix up |
| Main Entry: | characterize |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | typify, distinguish |
| Synonyms: | brand, constitute, define, delineate, describe, designate, differentiate, discriminate, feature, identify, indicate, inform, make up, mark, outline, peg, pigeonhole*, portray, represent, stamp, style, symbolize, tab, belong to, button down, individualize, individuate, peculiarize, personalize, signalize, singularize, typecast |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | etch |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | carve |
| Synonyms: | compose, corrode, cut, define, delineate, depict, describe, engrave, erode, execute, furrow, grave, impress, imprint, incise, ingrain, inscribe, outline, picture, portray, reduce, represent, stamp, eat into, set forth |
| Main Entry: | explain |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make clear; give a reason for |
| Synonyms: | account for, analyze, annotate, bring out, clarify, clear up, construe, decipher, define, demonstrate, describe, diagram, disclose, elucidate, excuse, explicate, expound, get across*, illustrate, interpret, justify, manifest, paraphrase, point out, rationalize, read, refine, render, resolve, reveal, solve, spell out*, teach, tell, translate, unfold, unravel, untangle, break down, go into detail, make plain, put across, put in plain English, set right, throw light upon |
| Notes: | explicate also contains the implication that the something of which an account is being given is more complicated or detailed - so while one may explain why a child is crying, one would explicate the meaning of a poem or implications of a legal document; early senses of explain were 'smooth out' and 'spread flat' |
| Antonyms: | complicate, confuse, mystify, obscure, perplex, be vague |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | expound |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | talk about in great detail |
| Synonyms: | clarify, comment, construe, delineate, describe, discourse, elucidate, exemplify, explain, explicate, express, illustrate, interpret, present, spell out, state, unfold, enucleate, set forth |
| Main Entry: | identify |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | recognize; label |
| Synonyms: | analyze, button down, card, catalog, classify, describe, determinate, determine, diagnose, diagnosticate, distinguish, establish, find, make out, name, peg*, pick out, pinpoint, place, put one's finger on, select, separate, single out, spot, tab*, tag* |
| Antonyms: | confuse, mistake |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | interpret |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make sense of; define |
| Synonyms: | adapt, annotate, clarify, comment, construe, decipher, decode, delineate, depict, describe, elucidate, enact, exemplify, explain, explicate, expound, gather, gloss, illustrate, image, improvise, limn, mimic, paraphrase, perform, picture, play, portray, read, render, represent, solve, spell out, take*, translate, understand, view, commentate, make of, reenact, throw light on |
| Antonyms: | misinterpret, misunderstand |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | outline |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | sketch out; plan |
| Synonyms: | adumbrate, block out, characterize, chart, delineate, describe, draft, lay out, paint, plot, recapitulate, rough out, skeleton, summarize, trace, skeletonize, tell about |
| Main Entry: | portray |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | represent, imitate |
| Synonyms: | characterize, copy, delineate, depict, describe, draw, duplicate, figure, illustrate, image, impersonate, interpret, limn, mimic, paint, parody, photograph, picture, render, reproduce, simulate, sketch, act like |
| Main Entry: | recite |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | read out loud; narrate |
| Synonyms: | account for, address, answer, chant, communicate, convey, declaim, delineate, deliver, describe, detail, discourse, dramatize, enact, enlarge, enumerate, expatiate, explain, impart, interpret, itemize, mention, parrot*, perform, picture, portray, quote, recapitulate, recount, rehearse, relate, render, repeat, reply, report, speak, state, tell, utter, give a report, give an account, give verbal account, hold forth, reel off, retell, soliloquize |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | recount |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | tell a story |
| Synonyms: | convey, delineate, depict, describe, detail, echo, enumerate, itemize, narrate, picture, portray, recapitulate, recite, rehash, rehearse, relate, repeat, report, run down*, run through*, state, tell, track, unload, verbalize, break a story, give an account of, play back, recap, run by again, say again |
| Antonyms: | conceal, repress |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | rehearse |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | prepare for performance |
| Synonyms: | act, depict, describe, do over, drill, dry run*, experiment, go over, go through, hold a reading, hone, iterate, learn one's part, narrate, practice, ready, recapitulate, recite, recount, reenact, reiterate, relate, repeat, review, run lines, run through, study, take from the top, tell, test, train, try out, tune up, walk through, warm up, work out |
| Antonyms: | go cold turkey |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | sketch |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | draw, outline |
| Synonyms: | adumbrate, block out*, blueprint*, characterize, chart, delineate, depict, describe, design, detail, develop, diagram, doodle, draft, lay out*, line, paint, plan, plot, portray, represent, rough out*, skeleton, trace, chalk, map out, skeletonize |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | spell out |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | clarify, explain |
| Synonyms: | brief, clear up, decipher, decode, define, describe, diagram, expound, get across*, illustrate, interpret, justify, point out, teach, tell, translate, unfold, unravel, untangle, break down, clue in, draw a map, fill someone in, go into detail, make plain, put across, put in plain English, throw light upon |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | state |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | declare, assert |
| Synonyms: | affirm, air, articulate, asseverate, aver, bring out, come out with, deliver, describe, elucidate, enumerate, enunciate, explain, expound, express, give, interpret, narrate, pitch, present, pronounce, put, recite, recount, rehearse, relate, report, say, speak, specify, spiel*, tell, throw out*, utter, vent, ventilate, voice, chime in*, enounce, give blow-by-blow, give rundown, propound, set forth |
| Antonyms: | ask, question |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | term |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | name something |
| Synonyms: | baptize, call, christen, describe, designate, dub, entitle, label, style, tag, title, denominate, subtitle |
| Main Entry: | typify |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | represent, characterize |
| Synonyms: | describe, embody, epitomize, exemplify, feature, illustrate, incarnate, mean, mirror, model, personify, stand for, sum up, symbolize, body forth, emblematize |
| Main Entry: | define |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | give description |
| Synonyms: | ascertain, assign, characterize, construe, decide, delineate, denote, describe, designate, detail, determine, dub, elucidate, entitle, etch, exemplify, explain, expound, illustrate, interpret, label, name, prescribe, represent, specify, spell out, tag, translate, call a spade a spade, denominate, formalize, lay it out, nail it down |
| Antonyms: | confuse, distort, tangle, twist |
| Main Entry: | design |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | plan, outline |
| Synonyms: | accomplish, achieve, arrange, block out, blueprint, cast, chart, construct, contrive, create, delineate, describe, devise, diagram, draft, draw, effect, execute, fashion, form, frame, fulfill, invent, lay out, perform, produce, project, sketch, trace, work out, dope out, set out, sketch out |
| Antonyms: | disorder, disorganize |
| Main Entry: | detail |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | specify, make clear |
| Synonyms: | analyze, catalog, communicate, delineate, depict, describe, designate, elaborate, embellish, enumerate, epitomize, exhibit, itemize, lay out, narrate, portray, produce, recapitulate, recite, recount, rehearse, relate, report, reveal, show, specialize, spell out, spread, stipulate, summarize, tell, uncover, circumstantiate, fly speck, get down to brass tacks, individualize, particularize, quote chapter and verse, set forth, sweat details |
| Antonyms: | hide, misrepresent, suppress, withhold |
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2009 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2009 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2009, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
