1
as in tracing
to draw or make apparent the outline of
she carefully outlined the tree before she started drawing in the leaves
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in summarizing
to make into a short statement of the main points (as of a report)
outlined the important points in the introduction
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of outlining
The Bank Policy Institute, American Bankers Association, Consumer Bankers Association, Financial Services Forum and Independent Community Bankers of America issued a joint statement outlining the negative consequences.
—
Luciana Lopez, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
For example, certain medical and evacuation benefits available via the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card don’t apply for travel to Vietnam, according to a website outlining the card’s benefits.
—Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2026
On this week’s episode of Good One, Gethard — whose latest special, A Father and the Sun, debuted this past September — expounds on these ideas by outlining what pursuing a creative career used to look like, where things went wrong, and where artists must go from here.
—Chris Gethard, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Even the simplest design details, like a red smile line hugging a tortoiseshell French tip, or a lipstick-red border outlining each nail, can make a bold statement.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 9 Jan. 2026
While the easiest way to catch both the ceremony and red carpet online for free is through DirecTV’s five-day trial, The Hollywood Reporter is further outlining each streaming option ahead.
—Erin Lassner, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
If elected as Michigan's next governor, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said health care affordability would be a top priority, outlining steps the state could take as federal health care cuts backed by Republicans take effect and Democrats seize on the issue in the midterm elections.
—Clara Hendrickson, Freep.com, 8 Jan. 2026
The commentator George Weigel wrote a short book outlining the qualities conservatives wanted in the next Pope, and, in 2020, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, arranged for copies to be sent to all the cardinals who were expected to vote in the next conclave.
—Paul Elie, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
Virgili Bastida and his colleagues recently published a paper in the Journal of Space Safety Engineering outlining the challenges of deciding when and where to close airspace for falling space debris.
—Kiona N. Smith, Space.com, 4 Jan. 2026
Luciana Lopez, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
For example, certain medical and evacuation benefits available via the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card don’t apply for travel to Vietnam, according to a website outlining the card’s benefits.
—Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2026
On this week’s episode of Good One, Gethard — whose latest special, A Father and the Sun, debuted this past September — expounds on these ideas by outlining what pursuing a creative career used to look like, where things went wrong, and where artists must go from here.
—Chris Gethard, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Even the simplest design details, like a red smile line hugging a tortoiseshell French tip, or a lipstick-red border outlining each nail, can make a bold statement.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 9 Jan. 2026
While the easiest way to catch both the ceremony and red carpet online for free is through DirecTV’s five-day trial, The Hollywood Reporter is further outlining each streaming option ahead.
—Erin Lassner, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
If elected as Michigan's next governor, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said health care affordability would be a top priority, outlining steps the state could take as federal health care cuts backed by Republicans take effect and Democrats seize on the issue in the midterm elections.
—Clara Hendrickson, Freep.com, 8 Jan. 2026
The commentator George Weigel wrote a short book outlining the qualities conservatives wanted in the next Pope, and, in 2020, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, arranged for copies to be sent to all the cardinals who were expected to vote in the next conclave.
—Paul Elie, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
Virgili Bastida and his colleagues recently published a paper in the Journal of Space Safety Engineering outlining the challenges of deciding when and where to close airspace for falling space debris.
—Kiona N. Smith, Space.com, 4 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outlining
Verb
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Directed by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio, the two-part documentary explores the fascinating, hilarious, and often heartbreaking life story of one of Hollywood’s most daring satirists, tracing how laughter became Brooks’ lifelong survival tool.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
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The newest Paul McCartney documentary takes fans on a ride of his creative rebirth in the years following the breakup of The Beatles, tracing his transition from one of the most famous musicians in the world to an artist rebuilding himself on his own terms.—
Charlie Vargas,
Oc Register,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Samsung Galaxy Deals The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra boasts a stunning display that remains readable in direct sunlight, while next-level AI features genuinely save time, such as summarizing calls or locating pet photos with vague voice commands.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
1 Dec. 2025
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Dayflow is built around a few core tasks like scanning screenshots and summarizing users’ activity.—
Jasmine Cui,
NBC news,
30 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Longbow believes weight has become the defining problem across the car industry.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
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Many who lost their homes — including generations of Black locals who gave the mountain town a defining part of its identity for decades — remain displaced.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outlining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outlining. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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