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

The report defines “forced labor” as “all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty for its nonperformance and for which the worker does not offer himself voluntarily.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 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

France is Thursday expected to move towards repealing outdated legislation that defines people enslaved in its colonies as "moveable goods", in a symbolic move as the country grapples with its colonial legacy.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

The river marks the Guatemalan border, just as the Rio Grande defines the Mexican border to the north.

From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario