1
as in plan
a method worked out in advance for achieving some objective
she always achieves her objective by design rather than by luck
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in scheme
a secret plan for accomplishing evil or unlawful ends
the thief had devised an elaborate design to get the invaluable artwork
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in purpose
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish
my design in writing to you is to ask for your support
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
5
as in layout
the way in which the elements of something (as a work of art) are arranged
the design of the building's lobby encourages the free flow of traffic
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to plan
to have in mind as a purpose or goal
early on she had designed to a top position in a major insurance company
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2
as in to prepare
to work out the details of (something) in advance
the foreman designed a better layout for the factory floor to improve efficiency
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of design
Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
Venue and event design After all the planning and anticipation, the big day is here.
—Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
Time Staff, Time, 10 Nov. 2025
The short-form drama model, which is comprised of ultra-short, serialized dramas designed for vertical viewing, has taken off at remarkable speed.
—Partner Content, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for design
Noun
But what's really cool is how the movie brings those story lines together in a narrative filled with intriguing twists, gnarly kills, heroic sacrifices and a slew of nifty new Predator designs.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
Venue and event design After all the planning and anticipation, the big day is here.
—Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
Verb
These input filters are designed to screen incoming user queries and prompts for harmful, leading, or manipulative language.
—Time Staff, Time, 10 Nov. 2025
The short-form drama model, which is comprised of ultra-short, serialized dramas designed for vertical viewing, has taken off at remarkable speed.
—Partner Content, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for design
Recent Examples of Synonyms for design
Noun
-
The plan, passed by the State Assembly (57-20) and State Senate (30-8) along party lines in August, is designed to give Democrats a stronger advantage in several key congressional races.—
Dan Gooding,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Currently, plans for new affordable housing are also often subject to long approval processes involving city agencies and the City Council.—
Connor Greene,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Cherki is a dying breed of player, particularly now he’s been transferred to a Premier League which has moved away from off-the-cuff dribblers and towards set-play schemes.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
8 Nov. 2025
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Another worker operates the machine’s main controller, using a programming scheme for 3D printers called G-code to tell the printer what to build and how to build it.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
However, this approach defeats the primary purpose of insurance, which is to protect against catastrophic costs in the event of an unexpected medical crisis.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Grief pressed in, but so did purpose.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The black shoes were detailed with the designer brand's iconic motif in grey.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The holiday images will inspire window displays being rolled out worldwide, featuring a midnight-blue background decorated with Chinese lantern illuminations, trunks, the Vuitton family home in Asnières, and blossoming flowers and stars from the Monogram canvas motif.—
Joelle Diderich,
Footwear News,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
And no columns to get in the way Decades of retrofitting the 1928 courthouse resulted in some awkward layouts for smaller courtrooms.—
Douglas Hanks
November 10,
Miami Herald,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Detail matters in a sprawling residence in the Sacramento foothills, from its bespoke tile work to rich cherry-wood flooring, from unique layout to the use of old Chicago brick in a solarium-like room.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
That’s a significant contrast to other parts of the Forbidden City, marked by wide open spaces intended to represent the grandeur of imperial power and territory.—
Fred He,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The country is now poised to start up a new EV incentive program that goes into effect in January 2026, and is intended to help lower- and middle-income buyers adopt zero tailpipe emission vehicles.—
Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The city should immediately assemble a litigation team to prepare to fight the inevitable attempts by Trump to block their receipt of federal funds.—
Newsweek Contributors,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The multi-position experience, said Craft, helped prepare Mougey for an NFL scouting-and-GM career.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Their decision has highlighted deep divisions over legislative priorities and political strategy as lawmakers scramble to resolve the shutdown and address its nationwide consequences.—
Deputy News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
-
What happened next, this time, was strange, and not uniformly validating for the Democrats’ strategy.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Design.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/design. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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