depict & describe

[Soox]

I don't know how to distinguish the two words.
I have a idea that if a sentence's subject is animate, "describe" should be used, or "depict" should be used.
Such as:
Andrew describes her as a large, bony and masculine woman
The novel depicts French society in the 1930s.

The novel is inanimate but Andrew is a person.

Am I right?

 

[MikeNewYork]

I don't know how to distinguish the two words.
I have a idea that if a sentence's subject is animate, "describe" should be used, or "depict" should be used.
Such as:
Andrew describes her as a large, bony and masculine woman
The novel depicts French society in the 1930s.

The novel is inanimate but Andrew is a person.

Am I right?

The two words can be synonyms, but "depict" often conveys more aliveness than "describe". The difference, however, rarely lies with the subject.

 

[Soox]

but "depict" often conveys more aliveness than "describe".

What is meant by "aliveness"?

By someone depicting, you can create an accrate picture in your mind, but by describing, you can only have a general impress.

So, describing is concise and depicting is very detailed.


Am I right?

 

[Raymott]

Here's an example of where you must use 'describe':
Difference between depict and describe

The last response here also makes sense:
portray/describe/depict Paris as a romantic city - WordReference Forums