1
as in plans
a method worked out in advance for achieving some objective
she always achieves her objective by design rather than by luck
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in schemes
a secret plan for accomplishing evil or unlawful ends
the thief had devised an elaborate design to get the invaluable artwork
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in goals
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish
my design in writing to you is to ask for your support
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in motifs
a unit of decoration that is repeated all over something (as a fabric)
the curtains have a lovely floral design
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in layouts
the way in which the elements of something (as a work of art) are arranged
the design of the building's lobby encourages the free flow of traffic
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in intends
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 plots
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 designs
Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 13 Apr. 2026
These stunning designs can showcase the surrounding landscape or draw attention to striking features like a sleek fence or a bold front door color.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2026
Similar designs might help manage heat in electronics, improve energy-efficient building materials, or support small, off-grid power systems where reliability matters more than peak output.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 12 Apr. 2026
Batsheva’s designs have often been synonymous with bold color and prints.
—Shelby Wax, Vogue, 12 Apr. 2026
To try out Adidas’s cloud-like designs for yourself, consider these Ultraboost running sneakers.
—Isabel Bekele, InStyle, 12 Apr. 2026
The Energy Department says there are a variety of designs, and microreactors can provide seamless integration with renewables within microgrids and can operate for up to 10 years without refueling.
—Christa Swanson, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026
Similarly, Dostál is active with Children’s Hospital of Orange County, in addition to a unique initiative that allows area students to submit their designs for a goalie mask, with the winning entry not only brought to fruition but worn by him in game action.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 11 Apr. 2026
And good architects can actually elevate the earlier structures when thoughtfully incorporating them into new designs.
—Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Amanda Le, InStyle, 4 Apr. 2026
Landscape designs withstand for days, weeks, sometimes for many years and then the plants die or dry or are overridden.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
Nakamura designs for lingerers.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Apr. 2026
So, Gomez collaborated with the Hanger Clinic, which designs and custom fits orthotic and prosthetic devices.
—Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 30 Mar. 2026
McKeen designs with 270 fit models across seven easy sizes, grading each style individually rather than scaling up from a single sample.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2026
The Finn Irene Dana designs the collections shown this October, and in March 1945.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2026
Propelled by a never‑ending curiosity with how humans move, Brooks designs gear to make every run, walk, and workout better than before.
—Lisa Jhung, Outside, 16 Mar. 2026
Fat Cake designs bicycle kits in birthday cake colors, and has a racing team called … wait for it … the Super Sprinkles.
—Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle, 13 Mar. 2026
Noun
Rumors about the product have been swirling since last year, and the latest scoop says the company may be testing four different designs for the wearable.
—Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 13 Apr. 2026
These stunning designs can showcase the surrounding landscape or draw attention to striking features like a sleek fence or a bold front door color.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2026
Similar designs might help manage heat in electronics, improve energy-efficient building materials, or support small, off-grid power systems where reliability matters more than peak output.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 12 Apr. 2026
Batsheva’s designs have often been synonymous with bold color and prints.
—Shelby Wax, Vogue, 12 Apr. 2026
To try out Adidas’s cloud-like designs for yourself, consider these Ultraboost running sneakers.
—Isabel Bekele, InStyle, 12 Apr. 2026
The Energy Department says there are a variety of designs, and microreactors can provide seamless integration with renewables within microgrids and can operate for up to 10 years without refueling.
—Christa Swanson, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026
Similarly, Dostál is active with Children’s Hospital of Orange County, in addition to a unique initiative that allows area students to submit their designs for a goalie mask, with the winning entry not only brought to fruition but worn by him in game action.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 11 Apr. 2026
And good architects can actually elevate the earlier structures when thoughtfully incorporating them into new designs.
—Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
Let the graceful creatures live amongst hearts, sparkles, and whatever other designs your heart desires.
—Amanda Le, InStyle, 4 Apr. 2026
Landscape designs withstand for days, weeks, sometimes for many years and then the plants die or dry or are overridden.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
Nakamura designs for lingerers.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Apr. 2026
So, Gomez collaborated with the Hanger Clinic, which designs and custom fits orthotic and prosthetic devices.
—Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 30 Mar. 2026
McKeen designs with 270 fit models across seven easy sizes, grading each style individually rather than scaling up from a single sample.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2026
The Finn Irene Dana designs the collections shown this October, and in March 1945.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2026
Propelled by a never‑ending curiosity with how humans move, Brooks designs gear to make every run, walk, and workout better than before.
—Lisa Jhung, Outside, 16 Mar. 2026
Fat Cake designs bicycle kits in birthday cake colors, and has a racing team called … wait for it … the Super Sprinkles.
—Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for designs
Noun
-
If passed, the moratorium would temporarily stop the Legislature from accepting, processing and approving rezoning applications and site plans for data centers in the county.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The sale of the warehouse came two months after the owner of another Salt Lake City warehouse announced plans not to sell or lease to the federal government amid protests.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Mitchell said the Cavs’ offense has changed, a little, to incorporate Harden’s isolation dominance, but also said Harden has fit into their original schemes.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Somewhere along the way, these schemes stopped rewarding loyalty and started exploiting it.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Epstein also claimed that the prince had asked that he be allowed to see details of legal structures, organization charts, goals and initiatives of the Saudi central bank, the royal purse and the country’s sovereign wealth fund, his emails to Al-Sabbagh’s aide show.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Jack Eichel has 25 goals and 57 assists for the Golden Knights.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Lemann, like the talkative older ladies of her youth, clutches the motifs of her past like talismans.—
Brandy Jensen,
New Yorker,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Its elegant style fits most bathroom motifs.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
All 39 have different layouts, views, and furnishings, and some feature pieces from the historic Ritz Paris, bought at the renovation auction of 2016.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Features like Snap layouts, improved search, and virtual desktops help manage multiple tasks more effectively.—
StackCommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The issue has grown pressing enough that NBA commissioner Adam Silver has said the league intends to curb some of the tanking by changing the lottery process.—
Jay King,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The developer intends to complete the last of the townhomes in a first phase of the community by 2030, according to Planning Board documents.—
Joe Marusak
April 7,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This line plots the current price back 26 periods in time.—
Karl Montevirgen,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Alexandre Dumas’s novel of identity and revenge gets a big-budget remake with Sam Claflin starring as Edmond Dantès, a sailor wrongly imprisoned in an island fortress who, after his escape and subsequent treasure finding, plots his vengeance.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Mayor Quinton Lucas announced Tuesday that the city now has a set of seven free blueprints, including a duplex, a two-story house with a garage and a cottage, that are free to download to get the process of building a new home started.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2026
-
In the past, peptides were generally believed to be fragments of larger proteins; this doctor’s work helped establish that our genes actually code for many small peptides directly, some of which could become targets or blueprints for new drugs.—
Hannah Jocelyn,
New Yorker,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Designs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/designs. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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