Meaning & use
read
Last updated
To look at written or printed material and understand or say aloud its meaning.
See it in a sentence
She read the newspaper over breakfast every morning.
He can read three languages fluently.
A note on using this word
Spelled the same in the present and past tense, but pronounced differently ('reed' vs. 'red').
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. verb
To interpret the mood, meaning, or significance of something, such as a situation or a person's expression.
A good poker player learns to read an opponent's face.
3. noun
An act of reading, or the particular experience a piece of writing offers.
That novel is a quick, enjoyable read.
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