1
2
as in outline
a line that traces the outer limits of an object or surface
we could gradually see the figure of a ship coming our way through the fog
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in celebrity
a person who is widely known and usually much talked about
figures from the worlds of sport and entertainment will be guests at the White House dinner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in sculpture
a small statue
painted wooden figures by untrained artists can be quite valuable on today's antiques market
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
6
7
as in diagram
something that visually explains or decorates a text
the layout editor could have done a better job of getting the figures on the same page as the specific portion of text that they are intended to illustrate
Synonyms & Similar Words
8
as in price
the amount of money that is demanded as payment for something
a number of the paintings at the auction sold at figures far higher than had been estimated
Synonyms & Similar Words
9
as in shape
the outward appearance of something as distinguished from its substance
the ice sculpture at the banquet was in the figure of an eagle spreading its wings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
10
11
as in calculation
figures plural
the act or process of performing mathematical operations to find a value
a person with a good head for figures
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12
as in look
the outward form of someone or something especially as indicative of a quality
unshaven and dirty, he presents a sorry figure
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to decide
to come to a judgment about after discussion or consideration
we figured that we had better arrive early at the concert in order to get good seats
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to estimate
to decide the size, amount, number, or distance of (something) without actual measurement
let's figure the juice in the pan to be about a cup and just add it to the mix
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to calculate
to determine (a value) by doing the necessary mathematical operations
the car dealer figured that our monthly car payment would be $357
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4
as in to think
to have as an opinion
the father figures that girls should have the same athletic opportunities as boys and supports his daughter's interest in soccer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of figure
ABC News, 15 Mar. 2026
Even in retirement, the Hall of Fame slugger remains a larger-than-life figure who towers over the active players who flock to him for advice.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 15 Mar. 2026
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2026
Teams from one-bid leagues that figure to be lower seeds may have to bear more of a travel burden than higher seeds, who can sometimes — but not always — play much closer to home.
—Will Graves, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for figure
Noun
In congressional testimony March 4, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the figure was 700,000.
—ABC News, 15 Mar. 2026
Even in retirement, the Hall of Fame slugger remains a larger-than-life figure who towers over the active players who flock to him for advice.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
The timing of that moment figures to wait, with the Heat almost assuredly to defer to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ retiring of LeBron’s jersey first, a courtesy due his hometown franchise.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2026
Teams from one-bid leagues that figure to be lower seeds may have to bear more of a travel burden than higher seeds, who can sometimes — but not always — play much closer to home.
—Will Graves, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for figure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for figure
Noun
-
Part of a larger set, this data also tracks the first 95-degree day and 100-degree day, as well as how many triple-digit days the region sees each year.—
Julia James,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Local news outlet Arizona’s Family reported that temperatures in the Phoenix, Arizona, area are the warmest ever recorded this early in the year, and will likely crest triple digits at multiple points during the week.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
As in Curb, the actors worked off an outline with lots of improvisation.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
13 Mar. 2026
-
One Battle After Another is based very loosely on the basic outline, and some of the less-surreal elements, of Thomas Pynchon’s wacko novel Vineland.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Leigh Wambsganss, the Republican candidate and a Mercy Culture ally, had become a minor MAGA celebrity, owing to her role in facilitating a far-right takeover of the area’s school boards.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
-
The backstory Built in 1933 as the first hotel in Ibiza, this neo-colonial grande dame was the beating heart of Ibiza Town, a meeting spot for locals, hippies, and celebrities.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Inside, the vibe oozes understated cool in neutral shades of cream made interesting by pops of color and quirky art—a gold toilet sculpture here, a squiggly wall there.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 Mar. 2026
-
This is the place to go for Japanese art and artifacts, with a strong, 110,000-piece collection of paintings, tea ceremony ceramics, samurai swords and armor, kimonos, lacquerware, sculpture, ukiyo-e prints, and more.—
Jessica Kozuka,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Anything that, say, the cultish brand Supreme stamped its blocky logo on—a brick, a voodoo doll, a functional fire extinguisher—and issued as a drop became an overnight fetish object.—
Ellen Cushing,
The Atlantic,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Smith carried a mini top-handle style shaped like a doll house.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Nostalgia, printed–this season’s favorite motif.—
Minty Mellon,
Vogue,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Inspired by the helter-skelter brickwork of Chiang Mai's crumbling temples, their façades feature masonry laid in intricate motifs and wooden lattices that create beautiful shadowy patterns when the sun hits.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Anthropic is testing a new update for Claude that will allow the chatbot to automatically generate interactive visuals, charts, and diagrams for select queries.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
13 Mar. 2026
-
In many of the world’s most intriguing superconducting materials, superconductivity appears only within a curved region of a phase diagram, rising to a peak before fading again.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The war continued to escalate on its 13th day as oil prices spiraled up again to $100 per barrel, and stocks sank worldwide over fears that the conflict could drag on longer than hoped.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
-
But according to the California Energy Commission, only about 6% of the price of retail gasoline in the state is attributable to the cap-and-invest program, while nearly 37% comes from the cost of crude oil.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Figure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/figure. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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