as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
a fraudulent scheme contrived by a group of greedy and designing people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in planning
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 preparing
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
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Recent Examples of designing
Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 5 Dec. 2025
Broadcom shares have surged as Wall Street positions the chipmaker as a play on Alphabet’s growing AI dominance, thanks to Broadcom’s role in co-designing Google’s custom Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) that power the new standout Gemini 3 artificial intelligence model.
—Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 26 Nov. 2025
That means giving up or sharing power and privilege and doing the hard work of listening and co-designing solutions with the marginalized groups.
—Setche Kwamu-Nana, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Nov. 2020
In the 1960s, the computing pioneer Grace Murray Hopper would hand out 11.8-inch lengths of wire to illustrate how designing smaller electronic parts would create faster computers.
—John Markoff, New York Times, 29 June 2018
Rachel Davies, Architectural Digest, 12 Mar. 2026
Another key difference is that Apple has been designing the Arm processors for MacBooks, along with the iPhone.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 12 Mar. 2026
Though the sartorial offerings were left to Piccioli, Levinson was tasked with designing the installation and cinematography for the show.
—Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 11 Mar. 2026
While Costa was planning the city, Niemeyer was responsible for designing administrative buildings and monuments.
—Sophia La Banca, JSTOR Daily, 11 Mar. 2026
Ted Taylor and Freeman Dyson, two other mid-century savants of the atom, spent years at General Atomic designing a gigantic spacecraft that would weigh thousands of tons and propel itself to Mars, Saturn, and the nearby stars with nuclear explosions.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026
The team is also designing detailed digital models that replicate the behavior of the real machine.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 10 Mar. 2026
Mizban gave Boehm the task of designing something better.
—Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 9 Mar. 2026
That means the public officials designing the dredging project have a stark choice to make, scientists say.
—Arkansas Online, 8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
That means brands funding cooling infrastructure, working with workers and unions to establish robust heat-stress protections and co-designing transition plans with workers from the outset.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 5 Dec. 2025
Broadcom shares have surged as Wall Street positions the chipmaker as a play on Alphabet’s growing AI dominance, thanks to Broadcom’s role in co-designing Google’s custom Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) that power the new standout Gemini 3 artificial intelligence model.
—Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 26 Nov. 2025
That means giving up or sharing power and privilege and doing the hard work of listening and co-designing solutions with the marginalized groups.
—Setche Kwamu-Nana, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Nov. 2020
In the 1960s, the computing pioneer Grace Murray Hopper would hand out 11.8-inch lengths of wire to illustrate how designing smaller electronic parts would create faster computers.
—John Markoff, New York Times, 29 June 2018
Verb
For Sara Swabb, AD PRO Member and founder and creative director of Storie Collective in Washington, DC, designing a guest room is about creating a moment of hospitality that feels both personal and cohesive with the rest of the home.
—Rachel Davies, Architectural Digest, 12 Mar. 2026
Another key difference is that Apple has been designing the Arm processors for MacBooks, along with the iPhone.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 12 Mar. 2026
Though the sartorial offerings were left to Piccioli, Levinson was tasked with designing the installation and cinematography for the show.
—Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 11 Mar. 2026
While Costa was planning the city, Niemeyer was responsible for designing administrative buildings and monuments.
—Sophia La Banca, JSTOR Daily, 11 Mar. 2026
Ted Taylor and Freeman Dyson, two other mid-century savants of the atom, spent years at General Atomic designing a gigantic spacecraft that would weigh thousands of tons and propel itself to Mars, Saturn, and the nearby stars with nuclear explosions.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026
The team is also designing detailed digital models that replicate the behavior of the real machine.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 10 Mar. 2026
Mizban gave Boehm the task of designing something better.
—Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 9 Mar. 2026
That means the public officials designing the dredging project have a stark choice to make, scientists say.
—Arkansas Online, 8 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for designing
Adjective
-
In state media comedy shows, jokes about Putin are told from time to time, but they are used to bolster his image as a powerful, cunning leader, and hold up Russia as a great country.—
Neringa Klumbytė,
The Conversation,
4 Mar. 2026
-
These ambitious, cunning, and often amoral Cold War operatives were usually marginal or even inconsequential figures at home.—
Alfred McCoy,
Literary Hub,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
For many travelers, the process of planning their trips is a grueling slog through endless price comparisons and messy browser tabs.—
Sydney Goh,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Rockridge has long been among Oakland’s most idyllic and priciest areas, exactly the kind of neighborhood that is often resistant to the taller, more populous density housing the city is now planning for it.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Some Israeli troops have pushed into southern Lebanon, and there are fears Israel is preparing a large-scale invasion.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
17 Mar. 2026
-
These additions suggest the show is preparing to go deeper into the Baroque Works organization, which drove much of Season 2’s plot.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Though when he’s finally seen in full evil flight, the actor is arguably allowed to wax a little too cute about it.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Place them in a cute Weck jar and have a little pickle fork handy.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Krithika, who currently lives in California, has developed her own following, despite (like her mother) not initially intending to make dance her profession.—
Lauren Warnecke,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Gaither spent three days stranded in Doha after only intending to make a brief stop there following an African safari.—
Timia Cobb
Breaking News Reporter,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Some have begun organizing a protest in downtown Newton this weekend.—
Amber Gaudet,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Continuum Suite is not that, but instead a system for organizing and coordinating many aspects of a production.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Ceretti, meanwhile, wore a burgundy dress, with her hair done in a tight, slick-back bun.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
-
That said, some areas may be slick early on Sunday morning with light amounts falling as the day goes on.—
Dave Aguilera,
CBS News,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
From his first run with the Academy Awards arranging team in 2008, Walden was hooked; the job seamlessly blended his favorite parts about film scoring and classical composing.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The Paley Center for Media is arranging the pieces for its Paley Honors Spring Gala program.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Designing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/designing. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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