described

7 synonyms for described, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — Past tense and past participle of describe: to have said or written what someone or something is like.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

detailed

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

portrayed

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

depicted characterised recounted traced marked out

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

Past tense and past participle of describe: to have said or written what someone or something is like.

“The witness described a man in a grey coat.”

depicted characterised portrayed recounted detailed

2. verb

Past tense and past participle of describe in the sense of tracing or marking out a shape or path.

“The ball described a lazy arc over the keeper's head.”

traced marked out

How to use described

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

as described described above described in detail described as

Neutral.

Etymology

From Latin describere 'to write down, copy off', from de- 'down' plus scribere 'to write'.

Full origin of described →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between described and described as?

Described alone introduces the details themselves: she described the house. Described as introduces a label or judgement applied to something: the house was described as derelict, which reports someone else's characterisation rather than plain fact.

What does 'as described' mean in an online listing?

It means the item you received matches the seller's written account of it, in condition, size and features. Marketplaces use 'not as described' as a formal ground for a refund when the two do not match.

People also searched

detailed portrayed

Nearby words

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