describing

"Describing" is the present participle form of the verb "describe." It has a couple of closely related senses, all centered on the idea of painting a picture with words — or, in a more technical sense, tracing a shape. Here are the most useful meanings.

1verbexplaining in words

When you are describing something, you are using words to tell someone what it looks like, feels like, or what happened. Think of it as creating a mental image for your listener or reader — you are giving them enough detail so they can picture it without seeing it themselves.

everyday language · Modern, widely used

She spent ten minutes describing the house she grew up in — the red door, the small garden, the creaky stairs.

Can you describe what the man was wearing when you saw him?

The author is brilliant at describing landscapes; you feel like you are actually there.

2verblabelling or characterising

Sometimes 'describing' means putting a label on something — saying what category or quality it belongs to. You are not giving a detailed picture; you are simply stating what something is or how it can be understood.

everyday language, business · Modern, widely used

He described the situation as 'complicated' and refused to say more.

The manager described the new policy as a step forward for the company.

How would you describe your relationship with your colleagues?

3verbtracing a shape or path

In more technical or formal writing — especially in science or mathematics — 'describing' can mean moving in a way that forms a particular shape or line. Imagine a planet moving around the sun and drawing an invisible oval in space — it is describing an ellipse.

science, formal writing · Formal, more common in older or technical texts

The ball described a perfect arc through the air before landing in the net.

The satellite describes a circular orbit around the Earth.

Her hand described a wide sweeping gesture across the map.