describe
B1neutral
Definition
Meaning
to give a detailed account or representation of something in words.
to trace or mark the outline of something; to classify or characterize a person or thing.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The verb focuses on providing information, often sensory or structural, to create a mental picture. It can be used for physical appearance, processes, events, or abstract concepts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or core usage. Minor potential variation in some preferred collocations or formality of synonyms.
Connotations
Neutral in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally high-frequency in both BrE and AmE.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] + describe + [Object] (e.g., She described the house.)[Subject] + describe + [Object] + to + [Recipient] (e.g., He described the route to me.)[Subject] + describe + [Object] + as + [Complement] (e.g., They described the experience as terrifying.)[Subject] + describe + how/what/who/where... (e.g., Can you describe what happened?)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “describe a circle/arc (to move in a circular path)”
- “beyond description (too extreme to be described)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to explain processes, report findings, or outline product features. 'The consultant will describe the new workflow.'
Academic
Central to research papers for detailing methods, results, or phenomena. 'The study describes the correlation between the two variables.'
Everyday
Common for sharing experiences, telling stories, or explaining how things look. 'Describe the man you saw at the station.'
Technical
Used precisely to convey specifications, system states, or observed data. 'The log file describes the sequence of errors.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Could you describe the suspect for the police sketch artist?
- The report describes the council's plans for the new leisure centre.
American English
- The witness described the car to the officer.
- The manual describes the safety procedures in detail.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Describe your house.
- Can you describe your best friend?
- She described her holiday in Spain very enthusiastically.
- The article describes how to make a simple cake.
- He struggled to describe the overwhelming sense of joy he felt.
- The law clearly describes the rights and responsibilities of tenants.
- The author masterfully describes the protagonist's descent into madness.
- The model describes the complex interactions within the ecosystem.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'DEtail SCRIBE' – a scribe writes down details. To DESCRIBE is to write or say details about something.
Conceptual Metaphor
LANGUAGE IS A PAINTBRUSH (describing is painting a picture with words).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation from 'описывать' when the meaning is 'to subscribe' – those are false friends.
- Be careful with the construction 'describe as' vs. the Russian 'описать как' – the English version is correct, but the structure is fixed.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'He described me the story.' Correct: 'He described the story to me.'
- Incorrect: 'Can you describe how is the weather?' Correct: 'Can you describe what the weather is like?' / 'Can you describe the weather?']
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'describe' CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Describe' focuses on giving a detailed account of what something is like (its features, appearance, sequence). 'Explain' focuses on making something clear or understandable, often by giving reasons or causes.
No, not directly. The structure is 'describe + something + to + someone'. Incorrect: 'Describe me the picture.' Correct: 'Describe the picture to me.'
The noun form is 'description'.
It is generally a dynamic verb (an action you perform), so it can be used in continuous forms. E.g., 'He is describing the incident now.'