defined 1 of 2

defined

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verb

past tense of define
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as in described
to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group a woman who is defined by her unswerving loyalty to her friends

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of defined
Verb
The study defined high-exposure counties as having median annual emissions of 51 pounds of ethylbenzene and 44 pounds of toulene. Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026 Spirit’s team created a warm mahogany-and-veneer interior defined by curves, with details such as fore-and-aft berths, a shower, a galley, and an electric head. Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 30 Aug. 2026 Alexiou’s film feels defined by water, as the characters increasingly take to the ocean and stormy weather sets in from above. Guy Lodge, Variety, 30 Aug. 2026 That is noteworthy in a Pacers system defined by tempo and randomness. Tony East, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 According to the Gun Violence Archive, there has been at least 320 mass shootings so far this year — which is defined by the organization as four victims shot, either injured or killed, not including the shooter. Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026 The study sorted participants into four categories, with constipation defined as one to two movements per week, low-normal at three to six per week, high-normal at one to three per day and diarrhea beyond that. Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Engineers reviewed the process and defined what constituted success, while hardware safeguards such as operating limits, interlocks and emergency stops restricted what the agent could do. Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026 Doing this will actually make the walls feel more defined, and can even give the illusion of a smaller room. The Spruce, 29 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defined
Adjective
  • And yet, the Yankees could have used more length with the club set to start two restricted starters, Carlos Rodón (Game 1) and Max Fried (Game 2), in Saturday’s doubleheader.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Even a single night of restricted sleep can impair a leader’s cognitive performance, particularly memory.
    Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Thus far, these states are the only ones the CDC has confirmed as related to one another and traced back to the lettuce.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • One person died from a listeria infection traced to ricotta cheese.
    Dylan Scott, Vox, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • An irrigation channel bounded one side of the field, where both a snowy egret and a great egret stood.
    Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Family-friendly goldendoodles led in 14 states, while the golden retriever bounded into first across four states.
    Liz Gray, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Anton, whose gaze at the couple can only be described as wistful.
    Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Samba was born at the sanctuary Samba was born at Project Survival Cat Haven and lived there with her sister, Rose, according to Anderson, who described her as an unusually sweet animal with an exceptionally friendly personality.
    Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The figure was significantly higher than analysts’ 44% estimate, but Huang and Nvidia CFO Colette Kress specified that there were still heavy supply constraints holding back the $5 trillion chipmaker.
    Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Boone specified that Judge expected to see some overhand pitching on Tuesday.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Following the results, analysts at Bank of America upgraded shares to neutral from an underperform rating on accelerating AI growth, but warned of limited upside ahead.
    Samantha Subin, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Yet last week, California managed to pull it off — navigating the public backlash that has derailed and limited efforts by other Western states.
    Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Back in May , Jim put pen to paper and outlined his case in his weekly column.
    Zev Fima, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Together, the index and margin determine your new interest rate, subject to the limits outlined in your loan agreement.
    Rebecca Safier, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • In a very short time, the story is clearly demarcated, allowing Şerban to focus on character.
    Jay Weissberg, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The graves are arranged on terraces identified with letters and demarcated with white stones to distinguish them from the rest of the cemetery.
    Osmary Hernández, CNN Money, 7 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Defined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defined. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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