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
Jim Cramer, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
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
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
Editorial, Boston Herald, 10 May 2026
The interview was recorded before TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported in late April that Qualcomm and MediaTek are jointly designing a custom chip for an OpenAI smartphone, with Luxshare manufacturing it.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 9 May 2026
A little more than three years since NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter ended its pioneering mission at Mars, engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California are designing next-generation Martian rotorcraft to carry heavier payloads longer distances through the planet’s low-density atmosphere.
—ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026
Terrestrial-Riot partnership In this partnership, Terrestrial will bring its expertise in designing nuclear power plants and handling day-to-day applications, while Riot will contribute to developing hyperscale data centers.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 8 May 2026
Transitional living — designing for life in motion Another emerging contributor that strengthens long-term equity is transitional living design.
—Zakkiyyah Terrell White, USA Today, 8 May 2026
The new water getaway is built around soaking, steaming and cold plunging — not massages and facials — and resorts from Colorado to Iceland are designing entire stays around hydrotherapy circuits.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 8 May 2026
But county documents also detail conditions the project should meet to address impacts, including designing buildings to dampen sound and adding landscape buffers.
—Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 2 May 2026
The city is currently designing its next 20‑year stormwater management plan and has posted a survey on its website for residents to share concerns and priorities.
—Bo Evans, CBS News, 1 May 2026
Adjective
Marvell’s business co-designing custom AI chips is usually what gets the most attention.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
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
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
In practice, though, designing a policy that acts wisely on this difference is all but impossible.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 10 May 2026
The interview was recorded before TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported in late April that Qualcomm and MediaTek are jointly designing a custom chip for an OpenAI smartphone, with Luxshare manufacturing it.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 9 May 2026
A little more than three years since NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter ended its pioneering mission at Mars, engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California are designing next-generation Martian rotorcraft to carry heavier payloads longer distances through the planet’s low-density atmosphere.
—ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026
Terrestrial-Riot partnership In this partnership, Terrestrial will bring its expertise in designing nuclear power plants and handling day-to-day applications, while Riot will contribute to developing hyperscale data centers.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 8 May 2026
Transitional living — designing for life in motion Another emerging contributor that strengthens long-term equity is transitional living design.
—Zakkiyyah Terrell White, USA Today, 8 May 2026
The new water getaway is built around soaking, steaming and cold plunging — not massages and facials — and resorts from Colorado to Iceland are designing entire stays around hydrotherapy circuits.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 8 May 2026
But county documents also detail conditions the project should meet to address impacts, including designing buildings to dampen sound and adding landscape buffers.
—Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 2 May 2026
The city is currently designing its next 20‑year stormwater management plan and has posted a survey on its website for residents to share concerns and priorities.
—Bo Evans, CBS News, 1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for designing
Adjective
-
There’s arguably no one better placed to collaborate with VFX artists on a motion-capture performance than Serkis, who’s delivered innocence, cunning, cruelty, longing, and kindness in roles that run from Golum to Caesar to King Kong himself.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
4 May 2026
-
As Michael moves into solo stardom and makes cunning business moves, the film captures how his seemingly naive idealism was also a form of ambition.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
An hour before Hitchcock's execution, Texas is planning to put James Broadnax to death for the 2008 double murder of two Christian music producers in the Dallas suburb of Garland.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Countries across the Gulf have arrested scores of people during the war, on charges ranging from posting images of wartime damage, to planning terrorist attacks with Iran.—
Dominic Dudley,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Those pitching-only days weren’t a regular occurrence when Ohtani was with the Angels, but now Ohtani is also preparing for what’s expected to be a deep postseason run.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
5 May 2026
-
Alegría credited the pair’s experienced producing partners with helping guide them through the most unfamiliar process of preparing for the final cut and getting ready for the marketing, press, distribution conversations with Amazon as well as FilmNation.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
AshleGryre Shop for breezy sundresses, cute beach coverups, bikinis, and raffia platforms at AshleGryre, a fashion-forward women’s boutique right across from Dune House in Atlantic Beach.—
Terry Ward,
Travel + Leisure,
9 May 2026
-
Sure, robots can be kitschy and cute, but frankly, their growing presence has begun to irk and distract me, becoming a bit too synonymous with gimmicky pan-Asian hotpot fare.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Prosecutors say that Allen tried to storm the dinner − where Vice President JD Vance and others from the administration were also in attendance − with multiple guns and knives, intending to kill high-ranking officials.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
3 May 2026
-
From Stoll's perspective, Howard wasn't intending to kill his lover.—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Through time-lapse analysis, researchers identified copper as the essential architect of the self-organizing process.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
-
Activists Maria Grazia Demontis [left] and Alberto Sala, photographed inside the archaeological monument Giants’ Tomb of Pascarédda, have worked to stop the construction of wind farms by organizing protests and taking legal actions through their organization Gallura Coordination.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Major West Bank roads are lined with Israeli flags and slick new real estate billboards advertising affordable housing in settlements in Hebrew.—
Molly Hunter,
NBC news,
2 May 2026
-
Find something a recruit is interested in and a picture of him, and AI can produce a (relatively) slick graphic pretty quickly.—
Antonio Morales,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Such pairings are one of Wilson’s strengths, his eye for portraiture matched by his skill for arranging images on the page.—
Casey Cep,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
-
Others kick things up by arranging private beach bonfires in the evening, catamaran outings by day, surf lessons with Engstrom Surf, and even customized tarot card readings.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Designing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/designing. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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