as in calculation
the act or process of performing mathematical operations to find a value
the figuring of the cost of the car repair was rushed, and so it bears little resemblance to the actual result
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in deciding
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 estimating
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 calculating
to determine (a value) by doing the necessary mathematical operations
the car dealer figured that our monthly car payment would be $357
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in thinking
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
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Recent Examples of figuring
Asa Hutchinson, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2026
By Cohn’s figuring, 46% of all master’s of fine art students who borrowed exceeded the new $20,500 annual limit in 2019-2020, as did 31% of all master’s of social work students who borrowed.
—Fiona Riley, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
The data suggests people may be figuring that out.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 15 May 2026
When Clase became unavailable, as one team source described it, rival clubs smelled blood in the water, figuring the Guardians had no choice but to ship out Kwan.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Hannah Neeleman and her husband, Daniel, look like average beaming newlyweds, young parents fake-posing with margaritas and figuring things out.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026
Working with the Calling All Dreamers advisors, Christine Wonderson is figuring how to break the business down into more achievable chunks, rather than trying to do everything at once.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
And with a compressed preseason window and key contributors still overseas, the margin for figuring things out isn’t wide.
—Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2026
Without a basic plan, groups tend to stop abruptly, block walkways, or create congestion while figuring things out.
—Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2026
Customs is not figuring it out.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Noun
There’s a lot to figure out and not a lot of time left to do the figuring.
—Asa Hutchinson, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2026
By Cohn’s figuring, 46% of all master’s of fine art students who borrowed exceeded the new $20,500 annual limit in 2019-2020, as did 31% of all master’s of social work students who borrowed.
—Fiona Riley, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
My journey to figuring things out and healing is now through helping other people.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
The data suggests people may be figuring that out.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 15 May 2026
When Clase became unavailable, as one team source described it, rival clubs smelled blood in the water, figuring the Guardians had no choice but to ship out Kwan.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Hannah Neeleman and her husband, Daniel, look like average beaming newlyweds, young parents fake-posing with margaritas and figuring things out.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026
Working with the Calling All Dreamers advisors, Christine Wonderson is figuring how to break the business down into more achievable chunks, rather than trying to do everything at once.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
And with a compressed preseason window and key contributors still overseas, the margin for figuring things out isn’t wide.
—Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2026
Without a basic plan, groups tend to stop abruptly, block walkways, or create congestion while figuring things out.
—Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2026
Customs is not figuring it out.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for figuring
Noun
-
Now, the farmer is running the calculations.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
16 May 2026
-
Often referred to as the next frontier of computing, quantum computers are being sought to complete calculations that are impossible for classical computers.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Because teams are deciding whether to devote millions of dollars and precious roster spots to occasionally unreliable males in their early twenties, much of a scout’s work is akin to investigative reporting.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
The former Huskies’ star went off for a game-high 32 points, 11 rebounds and six assists to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 139-109, in the deciding Game 6 Friday night to clinch a spot in the Western Conference Finals against Oklahoma City.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
With federal protections in flux and the EWG estimating more than 200 million Americans could have PFAS in their drinking water above 1 part per trillion, the responsibility has largely shifted to consumers to figure this out themselves.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 May 2026
-
Worse still, the heat makes spilled oil more toxic, with some scientists estimating that the Gulf is the most polluted marine basin in the world.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Giuseppe Pappa took a mathematical approach to the celestial event, by photographing the moon, Venus and the gas giant Jupiter in the skies over Catania, Italy on May 19 before calculating the angles between them.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
20 May 2026
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But in February a team from Iceberg Quantum in Sydney, Australia, dramatically reduced that estimate, calculating that with careful optimization and error correction, hackers might need fewer than 100,000 qubits for the feat.—
Zeeya Merali,
Scientific American,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Long-term stewardship, whether that’s building a brand, investing in people or thinking about legacy, becomes harder to prioritize when the focus is on what can be measured and delivered in the next quarter.—
Rebecca Brooks,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
What are you supposed to be thinking when your team is pushing toward the goal?—
Nicole Williams,
AJC.com,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Now, if someone like Giannis Antetokounmpo is added, that would change that math.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
15 May 2026
-
Or, if your Social Security funds are mixed with other income in the same account, the math becomes more complicated, and these protections may not cover the full balance.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
How to handle it safely For dogs that only graze occasionally, the main precaution should be choosing safe locations.—
Diana Bocco,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
By choosing investment banking, an industry almost entirely based in Manhattan, students were expressing a predilection for its unique lifestyle and consumption options.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Connecting them is what shifts you from guessing which behaviors matter to knowing.—
Brian Tuite,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
Support becomes less about guessing and more about understanding.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Figuring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/figuring. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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