1
as in plans
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 schemes
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 goals
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
as in motifs
a unit of decoration that is repeated all over something (as a fabric)
the curtains have a lovely floral design
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in layouts
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 intends
to have in mind as a purpose or goal
early on she had designed to a top position in a major insurance company
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in plots
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
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Recent Examples of designs
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
3 July 2026
Its designs are worn by on-court officials, lines judges and ball boys and girls, embedding the brand directly into the tournament’s visual language.
—
Kate Hardcastle,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
Today’s vests come with adjustable plates, ergonomic straps and specialized designs built for everything from a neighborhood loop to a full military-style workout.
—
Samantha Agate,
Sacbee.com,
2 July 2026
The agriculture plate fees remain the same and the new white-and-black plate costs $70 annually; both designs became available July 1.
—
Chadd Cripe. Produced With Ai Assistance,
Idaho Statesman,
2 July 2026
Meanwhile, shoe designs started becoming lower cut, resembling a modern sneaker more and more.
—
Mack Degeurin,
Popular Science,
2 July 2026
Beginning in July 1958, the White House begins receiving designs from the public, as does the Quartermaster Corps of the Army, from all over the country and from all over the world.
—
Eric Shawn,
FOXNews.com,
2 July 2026
Combining advanced stealth features, modern sensors, high endurance, and versatile weapon systems, the Barracuda class is regarded as one of the most capable nuclear attack submarine designs in service today.
—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
28 June 2026
As clubs began trademarking their designs, making the jerseys readily identifiable as Manchester United, or Arsenal, or whatever team, the shirts began to be marketed as leisurewear, Bunk said, though still only for children and teenagers.
—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
28 June 2026
Paulina Likos,
CNBC,
27 June 2026
One40 Rooftop designs cocktails and food together to tell a story, while Salumeria Rosi offers traditional dessert pairings for an old-school Italian rhythm.
—
Carissa Chesanek,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
The team designs and produces its off-duty chic collections ethically in the US.
—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
23 June 2026
The same physician who designs the hairline at the morning consultation is still in the room placing grafts in the afternoon.
—
Ascend Agency,
Denver Post,
18 June 2026
In most Istanbul clinics, the surgeon designs the hairline and then hands the remainder of the procedure to technicians.
—
Ascend Agency,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
Oversized kitchen islands can disrupt flow and functionality, making right-sized designs a better choice.
—
Kristin Hohenadel,
The Spruce,
15 June 2026
Laverne Cox spun one of Thierry Mugler’s rare archival designs back onto the carpet Saturday, attending the Lifelong Pride Gala at The Sanctuary in Seattle in the fall 2001 Spider dress.
—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
14 June 2026
The moody reds and vampy blacks that carried us through colder months can take a backseat—this time of year is all about fresh colors, glossy finishes, and designs that practically beg for a vacation photo dump.
—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
14 June 2026
Noun
The celebration included dual Zac Posen custom designs – DeGeneres in a cream vest and slacks, de Rossi in a tuxedo halter top and baby pink tulle skirt – plus an all-vegan menu, and it was officiated by self-help author and friend Wayne Dyer.
—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
3 July 2026
Its designs are worn by on-court officials, lines judges and ball boys and girls, embedding the brand directly into the tournament’s visual language.
—
Kate Hardcastle,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
Today’s vests come with adjustable plates, ergonomic straps and specialized designs built for everything from a neighborhood loop to a full military-style workout.
—
Samantha Agate,
Sacbee.com,
2 July 2026
The agriculture plate fees remain the same and the new white-and-black plate costs $70 annually; both designs became available July 1.
—
Chadd Cripe. Produced With Ai Assistance,
Idaho Statesman,
2 July 2026
Meanwhile, shoe designs started becoming lower cut, resembling a modern sneaker more and more.
—
Mack Degeurin,
Popular Science,
2 July 2026
Beginning in July 1958, the White House begins receiving designs from the public, as does the Quartermaster Corps of the Army, from all over the country and from all over the world.
—
Eric Shawn,
FOXNews.com,
2 July 2026
Combining advanced stealth features, modern sensors, high endurance, and versatile weapon systems, the Barracuda class is regarded as one of the most capable nuclear attack submarine designs in service today.
—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
28 June 2026
As clubs began trademarking their designs, making the jerseys readily identifiable as Manchester United, or Arsenal, or whatever team, the shirts began to be marketed as leisurewear, Bunk said, though still only for children and teenagers.
—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
28 June 2026
Verb
Google co-designs the chips with fellow Club name Broadcom .
—
Paulina Likos,
CNBC,
27 June 2026
One40 Rooftop designs cocktails and food together to tell a story, while Salumeria Rosi offers traditional dessert pairings for an old-school Italian rhythm.
—
Carissa Chesanek,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
The team designs and produces its off-duty chic collections ethically in the US.
—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
23 June 2026
The same physician who designs the hairline at the morning consultation is still in the room placing grafts in the afternoon.
—
Ascend Agency,
Denver Post,
18 June 2026
In most Istanbul clinics, the surgeon designs the hairline and then hands the remainder of the procedure to technicians.
—
Ascend Agency,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
Oversized kitchen islands can disrupt flow and functionality, making right-sized designs a better choice.
—
Kristin Hohenadel,
The Spruce,
15 June 2026
Laverne Cox spun one of Thierry Mugler’s rare archival designs back onto the carpet Saturday, attending the Lifelong Pride Gala at The Sanctuary in Seattle in the fall 2001 Spider dress.
—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
14 June 2026
The moody reds and vampy blacks that carried us through colder months can take a backseat—this time of year is all about fresh colors, glossy finishes, and designs that practically beg for a vacation photo dump.
—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
14 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for designs
Noun
-
Caftans are the underrated summer essential that bring breezy, effortless glamour to beach days, brunches, and evening plans alike.
-
Although the panel date has not been confirmed, the members and the team behind the webcomic will be on it to chat about their upcoming plans.
Noun
-
Twelve hundred conceptual categories showed up in just 490 papers and nowhere in the formal schemes, clustered in environmental drivers and ecological processes.
-
New York officials say the unit is a national leader that targets complex, high-impact corporate schemes, and Attorney General Letitia James vows legal action, calling the cutoff an outrageous political attack.
Noun
-
In a game not known for high scores, the pace of goals in this World Cup has left some fans scratching their heads.
-
England, meanwhile, needed two goals from Harry Kane in the last 15 minutes to get past the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Noun
-
The hotel’s design, by Stonehill Taylor, marries New England iconography with Asian motifs that ring true to Raffles’ origins in Singapore.
-
Designers like Chloé continue to embrace billowy blouses, floral motifs, and XL belts, while Dior doubled down on blooms in its Haute Couture collection.
Noun
-
Type a topic into the input field, and the platform spins up a structured presentation with smart layouts, professional copy, and visuals across every slide.
-
Beyond dining and bed layouts , the rear lounge also folds out of the way entirely.
Verb
-
The exercise intends to transform abstract ideas into a more concrete lifestyle plan.
-
Minott also intends to sign a new two-year, $9 million deal to return to the Nets, with a team option in the second season, according to ESPN.
Verb
-
While Burnham plots his next move, the UK government now enters a new period of uncertainty, potentially facing a sixth prime minister in seven years.
-
An engineer plots a well’s falling output, fits a curve, and projects it forward.
Noun
-
The parallel Neusch was searching the home’s blueprints, combining with the CI to find an escape route for the sisters.
-
The items and blueprints for the items can be found in shops, claw machines, the flower basket crafting mission, the box of fortune, and the orb roll challenge.
Cite this Entry
“Designs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/designs. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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