type 1 of 2

Definition of typenext

type

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word type distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of type are character, description, kind, nature, and sort. While all these words mean "a number of individuals thought of as a group because of a common quality or qualities," type may suggest strong and clearly marked similarity throughout the items included so that each is typical of the group.

one of three basic body types

When can character be used instead of type?

While the synonyms character and type are close in meaning, character implies a group marked by distinctive likenesses peculiar to the type.

research on the subject so far has been of an elementary character

When is it sensible to use description instead of type?

The words description and type can be used in similar contexts, but description implies a group marked by agreement in all details belonging to a type as described or defined.

not all acts of that description are actually illegal

When might kind be a better fit than type?

The synonyms kind and type are sometimes interchangeable, but kind may suggest natural grouping.

a zoo seemingly having animals of every kind

When could nature be used to replace type?

Although the words nature and type have much in common, nature may imply inherent, essential resemblance rather than obvious or superficial likenesses.

two problems of a similar nature

When is sort a more appropriate choice than type?

While in some cases nearly identical to type, sort often suggests some disparagement.

the sort of newspaper dealing in sensational stories

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of type
Verb
That includes typing the same question in different chatbots. Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 11 June 2026 Velin then types in the make and the color of the vehicle and prints the paper ticket on a portable printer. Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 10 June 2026 The commander needed someone who could type. Kevin Maurer, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026 For Mac users spending significant time typing each day, the time savings can add up quickly. Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 6 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for type
Recent Examples of Synonyms for type
Noun
  • This one-of-a-kind woman heads the collection founded in its day by Emile Hermès (1871–1951)—an extraordinary cabinet of curiosities whose doors are occasionally opened to a select few on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.
    Pierre Groppo, Vanity Fair, 19 June 2026
  • Earlier this year, Moderna’s data was at the center of a highly unusual public dispute as a then-top FDA official blocked the company’s application for its first-of-its-kind shot.
    Lauran Neergaard, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
Noun
  • The system focuses on detecting and identifying Class 1 drones, which are among the smallest categories of military and commercial unmanned aircraft.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 June 2026
  • So, without further ado, here is the ballot for the other sports/colleges category.
    Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • Yet more than half of its counties are classified as maternity care deserts — areas with no hospital or birth center offering obstetric services and no obstetric clinicians, as defined by the March of Dimes.
    Jocelyn Mitchell-Williams, STAT, 19 June 2026
  • Despite affecting nearly 100,000 Americans, SCD is classified as an orphan disease, defined as a condition that strikes fewer than 200,000 people.
    Audrey Boone Tillman, Fortune, 19 June 2026
Noun
  • To scale this guardrail, the exploit chain used Microsoft’s Bing search engine as a trampoline of sorts.
    Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 16 June 2026
  • So now there isn’t just one archetype of the Rocky underdog character sort.
    Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026
Verb
  • Years ago, then-assistant coach Mikie Nardi was asked to rank Brunson in the pantheon of great Villanova guards.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
  • Sixth Street has $130 billion in assets under management, while Dell is worth $225 billion, according to Forbes, and ranks as the sixth-richest person on the planet.
    Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 14 June 2026
Noun
  • In an television age where genre seems increasingly like a suggestion rather than a hard-and-fast rule, the Emmys are often the lone arbiter of whether a show is essentially a drama or a comedy.
    Joe Reid, Vulture, 20 June 2026
  • Put simply, Musk would be using one incredibly pricey stock to buy another of the same genre.
    Shawn Tully, Fortune, 20 June 2026
Verb
  • The public obviously cannot know every factor that went into the Artemis III crew decision, and to the astronauts themselves, flight assignments are part of their workplace life, like getting grouped together for projects are at our own jobs.
    Margaret Landis, The Conversation, 18 June 2026
  • Agentic marketing gets grouped with categories that operate very differently.
    Manick Bhan, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • This button-down is available in two shades of blue, black, white, and blue-and-white stripes — all easy-to-wear neutrals.
    Caitlyn Fitzpatrick, PEOPLE, 21 June 2026
  • Candidates from every political stripe have done it, including in 1996, when future President Barack Obama successfully challenged all his opponents in a state Senate primary.
    Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Type.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/type. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.

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