defined
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of defined
First recorded in 1720–30; define ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ali argued that successful films are defined less by genre than by the conviction behind them.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
The following “Lazy Daisy,” built around a loop of syncopated electronic percussion, is defined by its use of space.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
No one has defined Soundgarden better than that.
From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026
Her mayoral term has been defined by her responses to the city's homelessness issue, federal immigration raids and a destructive wildfire that burned through a wealthy neighbourhood in Los Angeles in January 2025.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
It was other people who defined it as exotic or dangerous.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
