describe and report share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. describe means “give a description of”. report means “a written document describing the findings of some individual or group”. report is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/dɪˈskɹaɪb/
1.v.give a description of
“He drew an elaborate plan of attack”
2.v.to give an account or representation of in words
“Discreet Italian police described it in a manner typically continental”
3.v.make a mark or lines on a surface
“draw a line”
/ɹiˈpɔɹt/
1.n.a written document describing the findings of some individual or group
“this accords with the recent study by Hill and Dale”
2.n.the act of informing by verbal report
“he heard reports that they were causing trouble”
3.n.a short account of the news
“the report of his speech”
| describe | report | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /dɪˈskɹaɪb/ | /ɹiˈpɔɹt/ |
| Said | di-SKRAHYB | ree-PAWRT |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 8 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | verb | noun, verb |
| Senses | 4 | 13 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | depict, draw | study, written report |
Full entry for describe · Full entry for report · More comparisons