transitive verb

• 1Give an account in words of (someone or something), including all the relevant characteristics, qualities, or events.

  ‘the man was described as tall, clean-shaven, and with short dark hair’

  More example sentences

  • ‘It is the size of a paper clip and is described as a cross between a stick insect and a praying mantis.’
  • ‘He had a clean-shaven, fair face and had what was described as a local accent.’
  • ‘For those who have dived upon an untouched shipwreck the experience is described as very moving indeed.’
  • ‘While writing she realised how few words we have to describe these experiences.’
  • ‘He was described as having blond eyebrows, blue eyes and a local accent.’
  • ‘Local history has often been described as the story of people in a place over time.’
  • ‘He has a single expression that might be described as pensive disappointment.’
  • ‘The film's narrative can best be described as a boy's adventure story turned tragic.’
  • ‘It is impossible for me to conjure up the words to adequately describe my own experiences.’
  • ‘There was only one word to describe his expression, every time I looked over at him.’
  • ‘What most people discover is that they use the same words to describe both experiences.’
  • ‘He is described as young and tall and was wearing a black tee-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap.’
  • ‘He is described as about 6ft tall, medium to thin build, with black and shaven hair.’
  • ‘The attackers were described as three black males wearing dark clothes.’
  • ‘He was described as fun-loving, adventurous and with a great sense of humour but also very dedicated.’
  • ‘Most methods have been described previously in detail.’
  • ‘People came from Norway on an arduous, and in some cases terrifying, voyage, vividly described here.’
  • ‘The situation described in the last paragraph is unlikely.’
  • ‘In the demographic campaign, the cities were described in the most gloomy terms.’

  Synonyms

  report, narrate, recount, relate, tell of, set out, chronicle

  designate, pronounce, call, label, style, dub

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• 2Mark out or draw (a geometric figure)

  ‘on the diameter of a circle an equilateral triangle is described’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Then, with the compasses fixed at the right, an arc is described from the horizontal distance at the left to the left hand side of the "proscaenium".’
  • ‘Thus, an arc is described in Figure I from C which cuts the triangle at I and J.’
  • ‘After it has been well stretched, a circle is described with a piece of charcoal.’

  Synonyms

  delineate, mark out, outline, trace, draw, sketch

  View synonyms