Synonyms of contour

contour

noun

ˈkän-ˌtu̇r 

as in outline

a line that traces the outer limits of an object or surface

a car with flowing contours

Synonyms & Similar Words

• outline
• silhouette
• shape
• figure
• sketch
• geometry
• profile
• configuration
• delineation
• framework
• skeleton
• form
• skyline
• cast
• conformation

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun contour differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of contour are outline, profile, and silhouette. While all these words mean "the line that bounds and gives form to something," contour stresses the quality of an outline or a bounding surface as being smooth, jagged, curving, or sharply angled.

a car with flowing contours

In what contexts can outline take the place of contour?

The meanings of outline and contour largely overlap; however, outline applies to a line marking the outer limits or edges of a body or mass.

traced the outline of his hand

When might profile be a better fit than contour?

Although the words profile and contour have much in common, profile suggests a varied and sharply defined outline against a lighter background.

a portrait of her face in profile

Where would silhouette be a reasonable alternative to contour?

The words silhouette and contour are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, silhouette suggests a shape especially of a head or figure with all detail blacked out in shadow leaving only the outline clearly defined.

photograph in silhouette against a bright sky

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of contour

Her brand’s Le Skin Weightless Serum Foundation is so lightweight and breathable because it’s supposed to be used on top of that contour and highlight to create a seamlessly blended yet snatched look. — Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 26 July 2026

That shape, whose contour resembles both an indecipherable ideogram and a flat asymmetrical spaceship, shows Parsons’s inventive side. — John Yau, ARTnews.com, 24 July 2026

Trying to perfect and smooth every contour of the face with injectables or fat grafting leads to patients’ heads getting larger and larger over the course of a few years. — Ingrid Schmidt, HollywoodReporter, 15 July 2026

Low piano notes gather tentatively; sostenuto woodwinds hover just above ground level; a rainstick adds contour and shading. — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 13 July 2026