contours

plural of contour
as in outlines
a line that traces the outer limits of an object or surface a car with flowing contours

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 contours The multitasking device temporarily boosts radiance, improves firmness, and sculpts the look of facial contours—all in just a few minutes a day. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 29 Sep. 2026 By preventing excess slack and eliminating interfering contours, the PBU minimizes collision risks across complex movement paths. — IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2026 Despite this, black jackets and hair in the party scenes look properly dark while still showing their cuts and contours, and white shirts, lights, and balloons in the same shots all look bright while similarly preserving details. — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 17 Aug. 2026 Compressed color values—in contrast to the wide modulations in tone that Cassatt allowed elsewhere—heighten the sense of mass, while unexpected bright blue outlines seal their contours. — Carmen Rosenberg-Miller, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2026 Power of silly shapes To seal the case, the research team manufactured an array of custom silly sprinklers featuring a wild variety of geometric loops and contours. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contours
outlines
Noun
  • Sun’s piece mostly orbits a monochrome palette of heavy, inky black shading (with white outlines) and a lot of line detail, with broad, impressionistic brushstrokes characterizing the landscape — at least some of the time.
    — Kambole Campbell, Variety, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Johnson gazed at one of his own paintings, which hangs in the dark-red lounge and features outlines of houses.
    — Emma Allen, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Contours.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contours. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster