descriptionnoun [ C or U ]
uk/dɪˈskrɪp.ʃən/us/dɪˈskrɪp.ʃən/B1 something that tells you what something or someone is like:
Write a description of your favourite beach.
She has given the police a very detailed/full description of the robber.
A girl answering (= matching) the description of the missing teenager was spotted in Glasgow.
Your paper contains too much description, and not enough discussion of the issues.
of every description
of all types:
Boats of every description were entering the harbour.
be beyond description also defy description
to be something that you cannot describe accurately because of its great size, quality, or level:
Her beauty is beyond description.
The mess in Bart's room defies description (= is very bad)!
More examples
- A witness gave a detailed description of the man.
- He gave a very vivid and often shocking description of his time in prison.
- The book contains lyrical descriptions of the author's childhood.
- Would you say that is an accurate description of the current situation?
- A woman of your description was seen in the area on the night of the crime.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Defining & explaining
- (do you) see what I mean? idiom
- account (to sb) for sth
- accountable
- cast
- clarify
- convey
- demystify
- descriptive
- every picture tells a story idiom
- evocative
- evoke
- explicable
- explicate
- fill
- frame
- get sth across
- scene
- schematic
- that is to say ... idiom
- unfold
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