design

verb de·sign \ di-ˈzīn \

|Updated on: 19 Jun 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: design in a Sentence

Definition of design

transitive verb

1 : to create, fashion, execute, or construct according to plan : devise, contrive

design a system for tracking inventory

2 a : 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

4 a : 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

—

designedly

play \-ˈzī-nəd-lē\ adverb

See design defined for English-language learners

See design defined for kids

Examples of design in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of design from the Web

But the authors of a new study suggest that the effort, which is designed to sideline the Food and Drug Administration, may have been unnecessary, because a previous regulatory program appeared to be working well.

— ed silverman, STAT, "‘Right-to-try’ law may have been unnecessary with previous success of FDA program, study argues," 15 June 2018
The key to the shirt is a shorter hem than traditional button downs which are designed longer to stay tucked into a pair of pants.

— kirby adams, The Courier-Journal, "This new store at Oxmoor Center wants you to leave your shirt untucked," 15 June 2018
All of these are examples of the current era of Frankensoftware: apps or software features that were originally designed for one platform, but now are being ported over to newish, emerging platforms.

— lauren goode, WIRED, "A New Era of Frankensoftware," 15 June 2018
Set in 2028 Brooklyn, the show is designed as a comical parody of the Margaret Atwood novel and Hulu original series, depicting future millennials in a phoneless dystopia.

— Philly.com, "Paul Simon, Harry Styles, FringeA-Thon, Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle! Tour, and other happening in Philadelphia, June 15-22," 14 June 2018
Hsu’s standard recovery routine includes a yoga prop called a Dharma Wheel, which is designed to release tension in the back, chest, shoulders, abs, and hips.

— julie brown, Outside Online, "The Best Recovery Tools for Climbers," 13 June 2018
There’s a style of therapy called DBT — dialectical behavioral therapy, a form of CBT — that was designed specifically to treat borderline.

— katie heaney, The Cut, "My Life With Borderline Personality Disorder," 13 June 2018
Ironically, Brown’s secondary Twitter account, @Milliestopshate, which was designed to be a place to share positivity and end cyberbullying, is still active.

— tyler mccarthy, Fox News, "'Stranger Things' actress Millie Bobby Brown deletes Twitter after pranksters turn her into homophobic meme," 13 June 2018
Google has as much as 90 percent of the search market, and says its algorithms are designed to get users the right information as fast as possible.

— robert levine, BostonGlobe.com, "Google is hugely powerful. Is antitrust law up to the job?," 13 June 2018

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.

Origin and Etymology of design

Middle English, to outline, indicate, mean, from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French designer to designate, from Medieval Latin designare, from Latin, to mark out, from de- + signare to mark — more at sign

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

See Words from the same year

design Synonyms

Synonyms

arrange, blueprint, budget, calculate, chart, choreograph, frame, lay out, map (out), organize, plan, prepare, project, scheme (out), shape, strategize (about);

concert, get up;

draft, outline, sketch;

aim, figure, have on, intend, mean;

contemplate, meditate, premeditate;

design

noun

Definition of design

1 a : 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

3 a : 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

5 a : 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

See design defined for English-language learners

Examples of design in a Sentence

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 of design from the Web

The Brookfield Common Council and Plan Commission will review and possibly approve conceptual plans and initial designs at a joint meeting June 19.

— karen pilarski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Designs unveiled for new conference center, Hilton Garden Inn at Brookfield Square," 15 June 2018
Despite the site’s simplistic design, Ella quickly hit a major roadblock.

— rick paulas, Longreads, "Sex Workers vs. The Internet," 15 June 2018
Macron reportedly ordered a 1,200-piece set of china from Sèvres Manufacturing, a porcelain factory that creates intricate designs and has been the go-to company for French leaders since the 18th century, according to the New York Times.

— ciara nugent, Time, "Emmanuel Macron Ordered a Really Fancy Set of China and People Are Angry," 15 June 2018
By then the abbey’s association with literary figures — the genesis of its Poets’ Corner — had begun to take hold, though by chance rather than design.

— stephen castle, New York Times, "Stephen Hawking Enters ‘Britain’s Valhalla,’ Where Space Is Tight," 15 June 2018
But, at around that time, my mother just started her business in fashion design.

— Teen Vogue, "Sachin of Sachin & Babi in Conversation with His Daughter Rhea Ahluwalia," 15 June 2018
That began to change after 2001, when the National Research Council identified a chief problem: The Corps was letting developers who lacked the necessary expertise design and build the restoration projects.

— Washington Post, "Trump’s move to redefine water rule threatens wetlands banks," 15 June 2018
According to the proposal, Miami's Arquitectonica would oversee the hotel's architecture and design.

— rene rodriguez, miamiherald, "Miami Beach wants a new vision for a Convention Center hotel. Only one group bid.," 15 June 2018
Kirlyam will continue to pursue her bachelor's degree in web design.

— michelle manetti, Good Housekeeping, "We Caught Up With Some '90 Day Fiancé' Couples Because We Know It's Your Guilty Pleasure," 15 June 2018

Origin and Etymology of design

see ¹design

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1565

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

design Synonyms

Synonyms

arrangement, blueprint, game, game plan, ground plan, master plan, plan, program, project, scheme, strategy, system;

Related Words

collusion, conspiracy, plot;

contrivance, device, gambit, maneuver, ruse, stratagem, subterfuge, trick;

counterplan, counterstrategy;

means, tactic, technique, way;

procedure, protocol;

conception, idea, projet, proposal, specific(s), specification(s);

aim, intent, intention, purpose;

diagram, formula, layout, map, pattern, platform, policy, recipe, setup;

Synonym Discussion of design

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

DESIGN Defined for English Language Learners

design

verb

Definition of design for English Language Learners

: 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

Definition of design for English Language Learners

: 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

DESIGN Defined for Kids

design

verb de·sign \ di-ˈzīn \

Definition of design for Students

designed; designing

1 : to think up and plan out in the mind

Our engineers have designed a new engine.

2 : to set apart for or have as a special purpose : intend

The Web site is designed for fun.

3 : to make a pattern or sketch of

She designs clothes.

design

noun

Definition of design for Students

1 : an arrangement of parts in a structure or a work of art

The design of the house suits a large family.

2 : the art or process of planning and creating something

His job is Web page design.

3 : a sketch, model, or plan of something made or to be made

Architects studied the design for the building.

4 : a decorative pattern

5 : ¹plan 1, scheme

6 : a planned intention

As if by design, they both stopped at the same spot …
—Jerry Spinelli, Maniac Magee

7 : a secret purpose : plot

I know you have designs on my money.

Medical Dictionary

design

noun de·sign \ di-ˈzīn \

medical Definition of design

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

—

design

transitive verb

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design

Definition of design

designedly

Examples of design in a Sentence

Recent Examples of design from the Web

Origin and Etymology of design

design Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

design

Definition of design

Examples of design in a Sentence

Recent Examples of design from the Web

Origin and Etymology of design

design Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Synonym Discussion of design

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DESIGN Defined for English Language Learners

design

Definition of design for English Language Learners

design

Definition of design for English Language Learners

DESIGN Defined for Kids

design

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Definition of design for Students

Medical Dictionary

design

medical Definition of design

design

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