definition

noun

ˌde-fə-ˈni-shən How to pronounce definition (audio)
Definition of definitionnext
as in description
a vivid representation in words of someone or something he gave us his definition of the perfect romantic evening on the town

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 definition Suddenly, instead of several distinct definitions, researchers had a single, universal theory of computation. — Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026 Rōz’s Evergreen Style Cream pairs glycerin, sunflower oil, and shea butter to moisturize and soften with carnauba wax and styling polymers for flexible definition that still lets hair move. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 28 Aug. 2026 Under-eye shadows, bags and lower-lid definition get played up instead of concealed. — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026 According to a recent survey, 88 percent of Jews believe that Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish, Democratic state — the historically accepted definition of Zionism. — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for definition
Recent Examples of Synonyms for definition
  1. description
  2. portrait
  3. depiction
  4. portrayal
Noun
  • On the page, Hig’s first-person descriptions of his everyday adventures, and of the waning natural world around him, had an honest, melancholy soul to them.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
  • She was stunned how closely autism’s description fit her creative, sensitive girl — her strong need for routine, social anxiety, challenges with communication and sensory processing.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of description
Noun
  • Other works set to screen at the BFI include several of Maldoror’s non-fiction films, like Aimé Césaire, A Man, A Land, a documentary portrait of the Martinican author Aimé Césaire.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The story begins as a richly detailed portrait of a woman who quietly accepts her role as the wife of a man who doesn’t recognize her value.
    — Ed Masley, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of portrait
Noun
  • On one wall, the ambassador installed Marc Lipp’s Fight Fight Fight, a depiction of Trump with a bloody ear and raised fist painted by one of the president’s favorite Palm Beach watercolorists.
    — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
  • In her depiction of the exhausting vigilance this reality required, through a second-person voice cannily implicating her reader, Rankine created a new language to identify a problem as old as the United States.
    — Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of depiction
Noun
  • Continue reading … AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ – Test yourself on presidential portrayals and summer sips.
    — , FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Her nuanced portrayal has given neurodivergent viewers a rare chance to see their own experiences authentically reflected onscreen, while bringing greater visibility and understanding to a community long saddled with Hollywood stereotypes.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of portrayal

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definiteness
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definitions
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Cite this Entry

“Definition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/definition. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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