Synonyms of designing

designing 1 of 2

adjective

di-ˈzī-niŋ 

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

• cunning
• cute
• slick
• subtle
• fraudulent
• scheming
• deceptive
• treacherous
• artful
• calculating
• dishonest
• crafty
• tricky
• crooked
• beguiling
• plotting
• shrewd
• devious
• wily
• foxy
• sly
• cagey
• covert
• dodgy
• guileful
• slippery
• deceitful
• shady
• sharp
• undercover
• clandestine
• circular
• astute
• serpentine
• roundabout
• concealed
• secret
• unscrupulous
• facile
• oblique
• sneaky
• glib
• Machiavellian
• insinuating
• surreptitious
• knavish
• underhanded
• circuitous
• shifty
• underhand
• hypocritical
• insincere
• backhanded
• stealthy
• mealy
• furtive
• left-handed
• two-faced
• double-dealing
• mealymouthed
• hugger-mugger
• smooth-tongued

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• public
• open
• innocent
• plain
• direct
• obvious
• simple
• ingenuous
• real
• artless
• patent
• guileless
• undesigning
• natural
• straightforward
• honest
• sincere
• frank
• candid
• unconcealed
• outspoken
• forthright
• unaffected
• unpretending
• unpretentious
• childlike
• unsophisticated
• aboveboard
• unvarnished
• impressionable
• trusting
• simpleminded
• unworldly
• plainspoken
• unstudied
• unforced
• trustful

designing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of design

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

• planning
• intending
• contemplating
• trying
• looking
• going
• aiming
• hoping
• proposing
• meaning
• wishing
• calculating
• meditating
• attempting
• aspiring
• purporting
• purposing
• allowing
• dreaming
• considering
• plotting
• figuring on
• debating
• pondering
• striving
• struggling
• executing
• endeavoring
• performing
• achieving
• accomplishing
• effecting
• mulling (over)
• scheming

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

• planning
• preparing
• organizing
• arranging
• plotting
• devising
• calculating
• charting
• shaping
• projecting
• outlining
• choreographing
• budgeting
• drafting
• mapping (out)
• blueprinting
• framing
• laying out
• contemplating
• scheming (out)
• strategizing (about)
• sketching
• figuring
• intending
• contriving
• conspiring
• intriguing
• aiming
• getting up
• concerting
• machinating
• having on
• meditating
• meaning
• putting up
• premeditating

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of designing

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

Verb

Others have discovered that designing an impressive concept and manufacturing a safe, reliable vehicle at scale are two very different challenges. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2026

Adam Mosseri was called to the stand on Tuesday as part of a 2026 federal trial against Meta in which 29 state attorneys accuse the company of designing its wares to addict minors. — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026

Or designing a playhouse for her toddler entirely out of cardboard boxes. — Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026

But former racing driver and karting world champion David Terrien is transforming the track and designing a special course for the race. — Zach Powell, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

For decades, Canada Goose ducked out of designing summer clothing. — Kyle MacNeill, Vogue, 19 Aug. 2026

The lawsuit accuses Meta of contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features that addict children to its platforms and hide these harms from the public. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026

The University of Michigan surveyed more than 2,600 students for their input when designing the five buildings that make up Wolverine Village on the southwest side of central campus. — Jack Springgate, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

The best organizations go beyond answering customers more efficiently to designing interactions that remove friction, build loyalty, accelerate outcomes and free staff to focus on higher-value work. — Jesper With-Fogstrup, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026