DESIGNS Synonyms: 168 Similar and Opposite Words

designs 1 of 2

noun

plural of design

as in plans

a method worked out in advance for achieving some objective she always achieves her objective by design rather than by luck

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Relevance

as in schemes

a secret plan for accomplishing evil or unlawful ends the thief had devised an elaborate design to get the invaluable artwork

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as in goals

something that one hopes or intends to accomplish my design in writing to you is to ask for your support

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in motifs

a unit of decoration that is repeated all over something (as a fabric) the curtains have a lovely floral design

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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

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designs

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of design

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

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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

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of designs

Noun

Having also grown up in Puerto Rico, Soto now intentionally repurposes objects and designs from her childhood into pieces of art that represent life on the small island, such as her upholstered plastic lawn chairs, which are deeply connected to Puerto Rican culture. —

Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026 The two-piece creation was the first of two designs from Rose, an Oscar winner. —

Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 17 May 2026 Re-Inventing Flight Speaking to BETA’s roles in the industry, Costello referenced its unique track record with electric and hybrid designs. —

John Werner, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026 But this year’s open call for designs (the show, fittingly, is called DUDD LITE) produced over 400 expressive submissions that used Bocci’s 22 system, electrical devices that can accommodate nearly any finish. —

Anthony Paletta, Curbed, 17 May 2026 In March, engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California completed tests on rotor designs that could be used to fly those drones, spinning the experimental helicopter blades fast enough for their tips to exceed Mach 1 (the speed of sound). —

Josh Dinner, Space.com, 17 May 2026 Falguni Shane Peacock’s Ashen Roses Collection made its runway debut during Lakmē Fashion Week in April 2025, curated with a bevy of sparkling designs throughout. —

Julia Teti, Footwear News, 17 May 2026 Demna’s iconoclastic approach seems to have remained the same, to let the ideas, the world around the clothes, speak louder than the designs themselves. —

José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 17 May 2026 Their arrangements often highlight visible stem structures and softer, more organic designs. —

J.m. Banks may 9, Kansas City Star, 9 May 2026

Verb

But who conceptualizes and designs these games? —

Ben Rosenstock, Time, 18 May 2026 The brand designs high-quality athleisure that’s a tiny bit more affordable than the other big-name brands. —

Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 18 May 2026 The founder’s role is evolving from chief decision maker to chief architect, someone who designs the systems, encodes the values, and governs the trajectories that determine how an organization behaves at scale. —

Rhett Power, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026 Effects work is excellent, even with some messy CG touches, and the creature designs strikingly original. —

David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026 Three years ago, Brown falsely accused Nantambu, who designs and sells jewelry, of stealing $3 million in jewelry from him, the documents say. —

Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 15 May 2026 Netflix also designs its platform to be addictive, including features like autoplay. —

Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 11 May 2026 From their family basement to yours, Wrap-It Storage designs creative innovations, making home organization and projects easier. —

ABC News, 9 May 2026 Timeless designs that pay no attention to the trend cycle, with a minimalist, quiet-luxury air about them. —

Mayte Salido, Glamour, 9 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for designs

Noun

Last month, Will County Board members approved Earthrise Energy’s plans for a 2,400-acre solar farm near Crete.

— Alicia Fabbre, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026
Citing statements from jurors and a county clerk who aided Hill, Murdaugh's lawyers say Hill urged jurors not to be confused by Murdaugh's defense tactics and to watch his body language — and that she was motivated by plans to publish a book about the case.

— Bill Chappell, NPR, 13 May 2026