defines

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.

California state law defines a “law enforcement gang” as a group of officers “who engage in a pattern of on-duty behavior that intentionally violates the law or fundamental principles of professional policing.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

Transportation construction spending, as the government defines it, refers to structures used for transportation, such as airport hangars, bus terminals, railroad tracks and marinas.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026

The military’s new push includes capturing Beaufort Castle, a nearly 900-year-old elevated Crusader fortress that sits around 9 miles from Israel, across the Litani River that roughly defines the border region of southern Lebanon.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

France is Thursday expected to move towards repealing outdated legislation that defines people enslaved in its colonies as "moveable goods", in a symbolic move as the country grapples with its colonial legacy.

From Barron's • May 28, 2026

Then the effort to make good on that vow is what defines us as human beings.

From "Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science" by Marc Aronson