Meaning & use
description
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Meanings
nouncountable or uncountable
Words that tell what someone or something is like.
Grammar: Countable for one account: give a description; uncountable for the skill.
Patterns
- a description of something
- give a description
She gave the police a detailed description of the thief.
The book opens with a vivid description of the harbor.
His description of the trip made us laugh.
nouncountableformal
A sort or kind of thing, used with of.
Grammar: Used in the pattern of every description.
Patterns
- of every description
- of any description
The market sells toys of every description.
Vehicles of any description are banned.
He met people of all descriptions.
nouncountable
A written label that explains what a product, job or item is.
Grammar: Countable: read the description.
Patterns
- a job description
- a product description
The job description lists the main duties.
Read the product description before buying.
The photo had a short description underneath.
Word forms
| plural | descriptions |
|---|
Common combinations
- give a description
- Can you give a description of the car?
- a detailed description
- The report has a detailed description of the problem.
- fit the description
- A man fitting the description was seen nearby.
- beyond description
- The view was beyond description.
- job description
- Cleaning the office is not in my job description.
Synonyms and how they differ
- account
- Account is a report of events, whereas description is about what something looks or is like.
- portrayal
- Portrayal suggests an artistic or interpretive picture, not just plain details.
- depiction
- Depiction is more formal and often refers to pictures or art.
- explanation
- Explanation says why or how, while description says what.
Word family
- describe verb
- to say what something is like
- descriptive adjective
- giving details
- indescribable adjective
- too extreme to describe
- descriptor noun
- a word or label that describes
- descriptively adverb
- in a way that gives details
Commonly confused: description or prescription? description or discretion?
description vs prescription
A prescription is a doctor's written order for medicine, while a description tells what something is like.
description vs discretion
Discretion means careful judgment or privacy, and is unrelated to description.
Practice
The witness gave police a clear ___ of the driver.
Choose one answer.
A description tells what someone looks like. Prescription and the others are real words with unrelated meanings.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “description”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.