describing
Putting into words
Describing is telling what something is like—its qualities, characteristics, or appearance.
You describe a person's looks, a scene's atmosphere, or how an event unfolded: She was describing the accident to the police.
To describe can also mean to trace a shape or path: The satellite describes an elliptical orbit.
Making something understandable
- elucidatingMaking something easier understood
- explicatingAnalyzing to clarify meaning
- interpretingExtracting meaning from something
- definingSpecifying exact meaning
annotating · glossing · demystifying · simplifying · translating · decoding · disambiguating · unpacking
Conveying documented information
- documentingCreating a formal record
- recountingNarrating events from memory
- narratingTelling events aloud
- chroniclingWriting events over time
conveying · communicating · detailing · outlining · summarizing · characterizing · profiling · cataloguing
Tending to summon memories
- graphicVividly detailed or visual
- colorfulFull of varied hues
- picturesqueVisually pleasing, paintable
- painterlyShowing visible brushwork
striking · poignant · dramatic · animated · rich · expressive · eloquent · articulate
Showing extreme attention to detail
- elaborateComplex and detailed
- intricateElaborately detailed, many parts
- preciseExactly correct, no error
- thoroughComplete in every detail
comprehensive · exhaustive · minute · specific · particular · fine-grained · nuanced · itemized
Noun-describing word type
- modifierWord altering another
- qualifierWord or phrase limiting meaning
- descriptorWord that describes something
- epithetDescriptive tag for someone
characteristic · attribute · predicate · determinative · adjectival · denotative · classificatory · identifying
clarifying
Making something understandable
- elucidatingMaking something easier understood
- explicatingAnalyzing to clarify meaning
- interpretingExtracting meaning from something
defining · annotating · glossing · demystifying · simplifying · translating · decoding · disambiguating · unpacking · contextualizing
reporting
Conveying documented information
- documentingCreating a formal record
- recountingNarrating events from memory
- narratingTelling events aloud
chronicling · conveying · communicating · detailing · outlining · summarizing · characterizing · profiling · cataloguing · specifying
evocative
Tending to summon memories
- graphicVividly detailed or visual
- colorfulFull of varied hues
- picturesqueVisually pleasing, paintable
painterly · striking · poignant · dramatic · animated · rich · expressive · eloquent · articulate · fluent
meticulous
Showing extreme attention to detail
- elaborateComplex and detailed
- intricateElaborately detailed, many parts
- preciseExactly correct, no error
thorough · comprehensive · exhaustive · minute · specific · particular · fine-grained · nuanced · itemized · extensive
adjective
Noun-describing word type
- modifierWord altering another
- qualifierWord or phrase limiting meaning
- descriptorWord that describes something
epithet · characteristic · attribute · predicate · determinative · adjectival · denotative · classificatory · identifying · labeling
- communicatingtalking, speaking, telling, sharing, expressing
- explainingexplaining, clarifying, elaborating, elucidating, expounding
- speaking practiceconversation, role play, role-play, fluency, drills
- language skillsspeaking, reading, writing, listening, fluent
- observation skillsattention to detail, attention, detail, patterns, focus
- representingrepresenting, depicting, portraying, symbolizing, illustrating
describingobscuring
Making less visible
obfuscating · confusing · muddling · garbling · mystifying
describingshowing
Presenting for others
demonstrating · displaying · exhibiting · presenting · illustrating
describingconcealing
Keeping something secret
hiding · obscuring · suppressing · withholding · censoring