design

verb

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de·sign | \ di-ˈzīn

designed; designing; designs

Definition of design

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to create, fashion, execute, or construct according to plan : devise, contrive design a system for tracking inventory

2a : to conceive and plan out in the mind he designed the perfect crime

b : to have as a purpose : intend she designed to excel in her studies

c : to devise for a specific function or end a book designed primarily as a college textbook a suitcase designed to hold a laptop computer

3 archaic : to indicate with a distinctive mark, sign, or name

4a : to make a drawing, pattern, or sketch of … a curious woman whose dresses always looked as if they had been designed in a rage …— Oscar Wilde

b : to draw the plans for design a building designing a new bike

intransitive verb

1 : to conceive or execute a plan

2 : to draw, lay out, or prepare a design was trained to design for homes and offices

design

noun

Definition of design (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : a particular purpose or intention held in view by an individual or group He has ambitious designs for his son.

b : deliberate purposive planning more by accident than design

2 : a mental project or scheme in which means to an end are laid down was never part of my design

3a : a deliberate undercover project or scheme : plot a declaration of a design upon his life— John Locke

b designs plural : aggressive or evil intent —used with on or against he has designs on the money

4 : a preliminary sketch or outline showing the main features of something to be executed the design for the new stadium

5a : an underlying scheme that governs functioning, developing, or unfolding : pattern, motif the general design of the epic

b : a plan or protocol for carrying out or accomplishing something (such as a scientific experiment) also : the process of preparing this

6 : the arrangement of elements or details in a product or work of art … his sense of structure, both in the general design of Paradise Lost and Samson, and in his syntax …— T. S. Eliot

7 : a decorative pattern a floral design

8 : the creative art of executing aesthetic or functional designs studied design in college

Other Words from design Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More About design

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Synonyms for design

Synonyms: Verb

aim,
allow
[chiefly Southern & Midland],
aspire,
calculate,
contemplate,
go
[chiefly Southern & Midland],
intend,
look,
mean,
meditate,
plan,
propose,
purport,
purpose

Synonyms: Noun

Choose the Right Synonym for design

Noun

intention, intent, purpose, design, aim, end, object, objective, goal mean what one intends to accomplish or attain. intention implies little more than what one has in mind to do or bring about. announced his intention to marry intent suggests clearer formulation or greater deliberateness. the clear intent of the statute purpose suggests a more settled determination. being successful was her purpose in life design implies a more carefully calculated plan. the order of events came by accident, not design aim adds to these implications of effort directed toward attaining or accomplishing. her aim was to raise film to an art form end stresses the intended effect of action often in distinction or contrast to the action or means as such. willing to use any means to achieve his end object may equal end but more often applies to a more individually determined wish or need. his constant object was the achievement of pleasure objective implies something tangible and immediately attainable. their objective is to seize the oil fields goal suggests something attained only by prolonged effort and hardship. worked years to reach her goals

plan, design, plot, scheme, project mean a method devised for making or doing something or achieving an end. plan always implies mental formulation and sometimes graphic representation. plans for a house design often suggests a particular pattern and some degree of achieved order or harmony. a design for a new dress plot implies a laying out in clearly distinguished sections with attention to their relations and proportions. the plot of the play scheme stresses calculation of the end in view and may apply to a plan motivated by craftiness and self-interest. a scheme to defraud the government project often stresses imaginative scope and vision. a project to develop the waterfront

Examples of design in a Sentence

Verb A team of engineers designed the new engine. Who designed the book's cover? He designed the chair to adjust automatically. They thought they could design the perfect crime. design a strategy for battle Noun There are problems with the design of the airplane's landing gear. I like the design of the textbook. I love the sculpture's design. The machine had a flawed design. the design and development of new products Correcting mistakes is part of the design process. a number of design concepts

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Players can design and clothe their own digital avatars, give items to other players and purchase upgrades for their homes. — Karen “kat” Schrier, Star Tribune, 15 July 2021 Williams Blackstock Architects will design the facility. — Mike Cason | Mcason@al.com, al, 9 July 2021 Brokerages can design their own model portfolios, or rely on guidance from fund companies like BlackRock. — Dawn Lim, WSJ, 9 July 2021 Players can design and clothe their own digital avatars, give items to other players and purchase upgrades for their homes. — Karen "kat" Schrier, The Conversation, 7 July 2021 Additionally, students can design the poster for Arts in the Square, while residents vote on their favorite for the event. — Brandi Addison, Dallas News, 30 June 2021 But does your institution actively design hands-on curricula to map to current areas of greatest community need? — Michael Horowitz, Forbes, 28 June 2021 As part of the collab, Lovato helped design four reusable face masks -- perfect for travel, concerts, festivals or everyday wear. — Tim Chan, Billboard, 17 June 2021 Chef Jonathan Coombs didn’t design his biscuit that way. — Washington Post, 16 June 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Odom Architecture will handle the renovation design. — Kathy Jumper, al, 18 July 2021 Plus the hotel-quality pillows are plush and fade-proof thanks to the anti-shift design that prevents them from losing their shape or bunching up overnight. — Amy Schulman, PEOPLE.com, 16 July 2021 The bowl design cut into the side of the hill that covers over half the stadium. — Hendrix Magley, The Indianapolis Star, 16 July 2021 The custom design is a miniature version of an Emirates Airbus A380. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 16 July 2021 This 6,783-square-foot Highland Park home has clean lines, grey tones and natural light throughout the design. — Mary Grace Granados, Dallas News, 16 July 2021 Cut scrap paper to the size of your tile and lay out the design with tile spacers between the patterns. — Beth Eslinger, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 July 2021 For the design, Bishop incorporated treasures from her travels as well as custom pieces that embody her family’s personality. — Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 15 July 2021 The design revealed by F1 today is just a template, of course, with teams free to come up with their own solutions within the letter of the law. — Caleb Miller, Car and Driver, 15 July 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'design.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Learn More About design

Dictionary Entries Near design

desight

design

designable

Statistics for design

Last Updated

20 Jul 2021

Cite this Entry

“Design.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/design. Accessed 28 Jul. 2021.

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More Definitions for design

design

verb

English Language Learners Definition of design

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to plan and make decisions about (something that is being built or created) : to create the plans, drawings, etc., that show how (something) will be made

: to plan and make (something) for a specific use or purpose

: to think of (something, such as a plan) : to plan (something) in your mind

design

noun

English Language Learners Definition of design (Entry 2 of 2)

: the way something has been made : the way the parts of something (such as a building, machine, book, etc.) are formed and arranged for a particular use, effect, etc.

: the process of planning how something will look, happen, be made, etc. : the process of designing something

: a drawing of something that is being planned or created

See the full definition for design in the English Language Learners Dictionary

design

verb

de·sign | \ di-ˈzīn

designed; designing