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
Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 11 Apr. 2026
The event was the inaugural Miami finale of the Green Heart STEM Challenge, a national program of the Captain Planet Foundation that tasks students in grades six through nine with identifying environmental issues in their communities and designing practical, implementable solutions.
—Ethan Stone, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026
Her father was a sculptor and her grandfather an architect known for designing temples across East Asia.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 11 Apr. 2026
The price tag for designing an advanced AI chip is, oh, about a half a billion dollars, per Reuters.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026
There is an increasing number of players designing their own chips, from hyperscalers like Google to Arm, which used to provide the blueprint for certain semiconductors, coming to market with its own central processing unit, or CPU.
—Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, engineers in Silicon Valley were allegedly designing ingenious ways to make explorations of digital rabbit holes irresistible.
—Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2026
He is fascinated by how roads connect and enjoys designing his own imaginative routes and paths.
—CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
In 2023, after designing an Aleppo pine conference table for Wesleyan University’s engineering department, a coastal live oak dining table for his neighbor and a 13-foot oak table shaped like Michigan for a client, Peck brought together a small team of young woodworkers.
—Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 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
So instead of guessing or relying purely on theory, scientists can now directly measure how entangled a material is—an essential step for designing better quantum devices.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 11 Apr. 2026
The event was the inaugural Miami finale of the Green Heart STEM Challenge, a national program of the Captain Planet Foundation that tasks students in grades six through nine with identifying environmental issues in their communities and designing practical, implementable solutions.
—Ethan Stone, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026
Her father was a sculptor and her grandfather an architect known for designing temples across East Asia.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 11 Apr. 2026
The price tag for designing an advanced AI chip is, oh, about a half a billion dollars, per Reuters.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026
There is an increasing number of players designing their own chips, from hyperscalers like Google to Arm, which used to provide the blueprint for certain semiconductors, coming to market with its own central processing unit, or CPU.
—Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, engineers in Silicon Valley were allegedly designing ingenious ways to make explorations of digital rabbit holes irresistible.
—Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2026
He is fascinated by how roads connect and enjoys designing his own imaginative routes and paths.
—CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
In 2023, after designing an Aleppo pine conference table for Wesleyan University’s engineering department, a coastal live oak dining table for his neighbor and a 13-foot oak table shaped like Michigan for a client, Peck brought together a small team of young woodworkers.
—Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for designing
Adjective
-
Past friends and former associates described him to me as an exceptionally cunning con man, a consummate charmer, and a womanizer.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Starring Charlize Theron, Taron Egerton, and Eric Bana, the film was shot on location in the Australian wilderness and features Theron as a grieving woman on a solo adventure who becomes the target of a cunning killer (Egerton) in a twisted game of cat-and-mouse.—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As a result, South Korean firms Samsung and SK Hynix are planning to ramp up production capacity, which will require ASML machinery.—
Arjun Kharpal,
CNBC,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, a newspaper based in a Pittsburgh suburb, had been planning to add staff in Pittsburgh and begin publishing a weekend city edition the week after the Post-Gazette was set to close.—
David Bauder,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Goldsmith said the company is focused on preparing for approval and launch of its drug, rather than any potential acquisition.—
Angelica Peebles,
CNBC,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom is preparing to launch an investigation into how the merger could affect its economic competition and consumers.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Fly across the world to visit archives and then look at additional pamphlets just because the covers look cute.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Apr. 2026
-
For adventurous travelers who want to look cute in photos but also have a hike, tennis match, or other adventure on the agenda, this pleated skirt is an ideal pick.—
Paris Wilson,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While many leave college intending to return, few ultimately do.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Bishop acquired the property, intending to preserve the inactive cemetery as a memorial site for the military veterans buried there, some dating back to the Civil War.—
Nicole Comstock,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
All three releases belong to a rapidly expanding category of interactive entertainment that’s defined less by compelling characters and storylines than the calming effect of creating and organizing a functional system.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Nate Northup, a PVGC member and Master Gardener, said he was involved in organizing the Garden University educational piece of the event last year and decided to suggest extending it with speakers this year.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Kalani Brundage slipped a slick pass over to Addison Smith who beat the Kingwood keeper with a low shot to the left side to give Forney a 1-0 lead in the 8th minute.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Apr. 2026
-
This is especially true in Santorini, where steep, slick stone steps and cobblestone paths can be tricky to navigate.—
Caitlin Palumbo,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But these three high school students aren't arranging bouquets in a floral shop.—
Bo Evans,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
In the city center, the five-star boutique Anthology of Athens by the award-winning Elastic Architects has been arranging secluded luxury stays steps from the Acropolis since late 2024.—
Yulia Denisyuk,
Robb Report,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Designing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/designing. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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