as in direct
free from irregularities or digressions in course
the bullets from early firearms were notorious for not following a strictly linear path through the air
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of linear
Something that is constantly changing, often not linear and incredibly personalized to the one experiencing it.
—
Sam Woodward, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
Sorry, this is non-linear, but playing with an alliance versus playing alone is so different, and both have benefits and drawbacks.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Apr. 2026
Their histories are rarely linear.
—Sonia Singh, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026
Another way to map Bettina’s work is thematic, scrambling linear time and submitting to the gravitational force of her practice toward the principle of Gesamtkunstwerk.
—Katherine Rochester, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for linear
Sam Woodward, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
Sorry, this is non-linear, but playing with an alliance versus playing alone is so different, and both have benefits and drawbacks.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Apr. 2026
Their histories are rarely linear.
—Sonia Singh, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026
Another way to map Bettina’s work is thematic, scrambling linear time and submitting to the gravitational force of her practice toward the principle of Gesamtkunstwerk.
—Katherine Rochester, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for linear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for linear
Adjective
-
The plaintiffs in Wednesday's lawsuit argued the order unconstitutionally intrudes on Congress and the states' power to regulate elections, since the Constitution doesn't give the president any direct authority over how federal elections are conducted.—
Jacob Rosen,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
For instance, French people are often seen as more direct.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Monday’s win was not an offensive work of art from a squad that became the first to score 90-plus points in five straight tournament games.—
Justin Williams,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Michigan had become the first team to score 90-plus points in five straight tournament games in the same season.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Requiring hours of collaboration and complex coding, the 1976 animation is, conversely, one of Bettina’s most visually straightforward objects.—
Katherine Rochester,
Artforum,
1 Apr. 2026
-
While that sounds straightforward, the real value lies in its layered rewards system, which introduces additional earning opportunities as well as complications.—
Katherine Fan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Linear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/linear. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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