variants
or less commonly canvass
plural canvases also canvasses
1
: a firm closely woven cloth usually of linen, hemp, or cotton used for clothing and formerly much used for tents and sails
2
a
: a piece of cloth backed or framed as a surface for a painting
an artist's canvas
also
: the painting on such a surface
b
: something likened to a painter's canvas
… just up the driveway is an extraordinary piece of garden design. [Ruth] Bancroft is the artist and her canvas is a three-acre patch of land in the midst of suburbia.—
Harriet Chiang
Harriet ChiangIn addition to the cover-up work, [Miryam] Lumpini will turn the dimpled canvas of a young man's back into a magnificent phoenix.—Allure
AllureThe birds were moving art on a canvas of sky and water and endless prairie.—Shannon Tompkins
Shannon Tompkins
c
: the background, setting, or scope of a historical or fictional account or narrative
the crowded canvas of history
3
: a piece of canvas used for a particular purpose
a hammock made of canvas
4
: tent
also
: a group of tents
5
: a set of sails : sail
sailing under full canvas
6
: a stiff material (as of coarse cloth or plastic) that has regular meshes for working with a needle (as in needlepoint)
7
: the canvas-covered floor of a boxing or wrestling ring
canvased or canvassed; canvasing or canvassing
: to cover, line, or furnish with canvas
Synonyms
Examples of canvas in a Sentence
Noun
a tent made of canvas
Use a canvas to cover the boat.
The museum has several canvases by Rubens.
Recent Examples on the WebJacqui Palumbo, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
What makes this moment different is both the wider spectrum of bodies taking up space on the canvas and the sheer delight, playfulness and weirdness with which they are represented.
—Julia Halperin, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
The canvas upper gives them a more dainty look compared to other platform high-tops, which can look sporty like basketball shoes.
—Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 2 Apr. 2024
Now its glass walls are a canvas for street artists, few of whom would otherwise be able to enjoy the luxuries promised by Oceanwide.
—Steve Appleford, Rolling Stone, 1 Apr. 2024
Take your pick from durable canvas or calfskin leather in neutrals.
—Alexis Bennett Parker, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2024
The cat can inspire the human by knocking over the paint and walking on the canvas, getting paw prints all over it.
—Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2024
Given that the canvas for your wrist is just 38 to 42 mm, a focal point on a painting must be chosen to fit within the dial.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2024
Art would paint houses all day, then return to the studio to paint his canvases.
—Jason Kersten, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2024
Sara Netzley, EW.com, 25 Mar. 2024
Back in the squalid camp, Yoong stealthily canvased her coworkers and discovered about 60 were willing to risk a hasty getaway.
—TIME, 21 Mar. 2024
Four officers who happened to be canvasing the area in an unmarked car saw a man chasing another man and a woman while shooting at them several times, the NYPD added.
—Charmaine Patterson, Peoplemag, 20 Mar. 2024
City staff will canvas neighborhoods in flood-prone areas, officials said.
—Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2024
Tuesday night, a few dozen community members met at the trail to canvas the surrounding neighborhoods of the Bel Air trail with flyers showing images from the video and containing information about the case in both English and Spanish.
—Dillon Mullan, Baltimore Sun, 6 Sep. 2023
Alarmed, the students found Bailey, a public safety officer who was making his routine rounds canvasing the campus.
—Curtis Bunn, NBC News, 28 Aug. 2023
Following the April 19, 1993 fire, after authorities had finished canvasing the scene, what little that remained of Mount Carmel was bulldozed.
—Alyssa Fiorentino, House Beautiful, 20 Apr. 2023
Milwaukee County will also canvas the totals.
—Erik S. Hanley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 16 Feb. 2022
Noun
Opaque wooden or canvas covers began to fall out of favor toward the 17th century, possibly as glass barriers rose in popularity as another means of protection (if not disguise), Nogueira noted.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
What makes this moment different is both the wider spectrum of bodies taking up space on the canvas and the sheer delight, playfulness and weirdness with which they are represented.
—Julia Halperin, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
The canvas upper gives them a more dainty look compared to other platform high-tops, which can look sporty like basketball shoes.
—Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 2 Apr. 2024
Now its glass walls are a canvas for street artists, few of whom would otherwise be able to enjoy the luxuries promised by Oceanwide.
—Steve Appleford, Rolling Stone, 1 Apr. 2024
Take your pick from durable canvas or calfskin leather in neutrals.
—Alexis Bennett Parker, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2024
The cat can inspire the human by knocking over the paint and walking on the canvas, getting paw prints all over it.
—Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2024
Given that the canvas for your wrist is just 38 to 42 mm, a focal point on a painting must be chosen to fit within the dial.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2024
Art would paint houses all day, then return to the studio to paint his canvases.
—Jason Kersten, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2024
Verb
The team makes plans to canvas the two closest Smokehouse locations when Palmer strolls into the big orange room with coffees for him, his girlfriend, and his girlfriend’s dad.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 25 Mar. 2024
Back in the squalid camp, Yoong stealthily canvased her coworkers and discovered about 60 were willing to risk a hasty getaway.
—TIME, 21 Mar. 2024
Four officers who happened to be canvasing the area in an unmarked car saw a man chasing another man and a woman while shooting at them several times, the NYPD added.
—Charmaine Patterson, Peoplemag, 20 Mar. 2024
City staff will canvas neighborhoods in flood-prone areas, officials said.
—Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2024
Tuesday night, a few dozen community members met at the trail to canvas the surrounding neighborhoods of the Bel Air trail with flyers showing images from the video and containing information about the case in both English and Spanish.
—Dillon Mullan, Baltimore Sun, 6 Sep. 2023
Alarmed, the students found Bailey, a public safety officer who was making his routine rounds canvasing the campus.
—Curtis Bunn, NBC News, 28 Aug. 2023
Following the April 19, 1993 fire, after authorities had finished canvasing the scene, what little that remained of Mount Carmel was bulldozed.
—Alyssa Fiorentino, House Beautiful, 20 Apr. 2023
Milwaukee County will also canvas the totals.
—Erik S. Hanley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 16 Feb. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'canvas.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun and Verb
Middle English canevas, from Anglo-French canevas, chanevaz, from Vulgar Latin *cannabaceus hempen, from Latin cannabis hemp — more at cannabis
First Known Use
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1556, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of canvas was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing canvas
Articles Related to canvas
Dictionary Entries Near canvas
Cite this Entry
“Canvas.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/canvas. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
canvas
noun
can·vas
ˈkan-vəs
1
a
: a strong cloth of hemp, flax, or cotton used for clothing and formerly much used for tents and sails
b
: a piece of cloth used as a surface for painting
also
: a painting on such a surface
2
: something made of canvas
3
: a stiff material (as of coarse cloth or plastic) that has regular meshes for working with a needle (as in needlepoint)
More from Merriam-Webster on canvas
Nglish: Translation of canvas for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of canvas for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about canvas
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