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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of outlining
Those streamers that have accrued more than a million subscribers in the country will be required to spend a portion of their local revenue or investment on original Australian shows or films after the government introduced a bill outlining new rules.
—
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 7 Nov. 2025
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has asked the federal government for $1 billion to improve rural health care, outlining plans for adding community health workers, investing in new technologies such as artificial intelligence and establishing more partnerships across the state.
—Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Yesterday morning, hotel guests were given a pamphlet outlining safety measures to take before the storm.
—George Solis, NBC news, 28 Oct. 2025
Following the unexpected interaction, Briggs shared a video on TikTok (@realandrewbriggs) outlining what happened.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
The 22-page document outlining the allegations and charges against Judge Bronwyn Miller, a former prosecutor and current judge on Miami’s 3rd District Court of Appeal, was filed Thursday evening with the Florida Supreme Court.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
As the industry geared up to gather in Venice, the Senate Committee passed a draft law outlining a voluntary certification system for brands’ pipeline across all tiers of subcontracting, aimed at ensuring legality and traceability throughout, as reported.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2025
Before the shutdown, USDA released a contingency plan outlining funds states could tap into to cover any gaps.
—The Npr Network, NPR, 24 Oct. 2025
Prosecutors said their filing includes information from the court’s security director, Chris Palmer, outlining specific courthouse security measures in Robinson’s case.
—Stepheny Price , Melissa Chrise, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 7 Nov. 2025
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has asked the federal government for $1 billion to improve rural health care, outlining plans for adding community health workers, investing in new technologies such as artificial intelligence and establishing more partnerships across the state.
—Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Yesterday morning, hotel guests were given a pamphlet outlining safety measures to take before the storm.
—George Solis, NBC news, 28 Oct. 2025
Following the unexpected interaction, Briggs shared a video on TikTok (@realandrewbriggs) outlining what happened.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
The 22-page document outlining the allegations and charges against Judge Bronwyn Miller, a former prosecutor and current judge on Miami’s 3rd District Court of Appeal, was filed Thursday evening with the Florida Supreme Court.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
As the industry geared up to gather in Venice, the Senate Committee passed a draft law outlining a voluntary certification system for brands’ pipeline across all tiers of subcontracting, aimed at ensuring legality and traceability throughout, as reported.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2025
Before the shutdown, USDA released a contingency plan outlining funds states could tap into to cover any gaps.
—The Npr Network, NPR, 24 Oct. 2025
Prosecutors said their filing includes information from the court’s security director, Chris Palmer, outlining specific courthouse security measures in Robinson’s case.
—Stepheny Price , Melissa Chrise, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outlining
Verb
-
Mayer, the iconic poet perhaps best known for her poem tracing midwinter day in a volume of that title, took a roll of film for each day of a month and maintained a daily diary.—
Diana Arterian,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Temple as a child learned geography by tracing Earhart’s flights.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
For example, a reader can ask to generate an audio briefing summarizing the most significant political, economic, and cultural events that occurred in Brazil throughout 2025.—
TIME Staff,
Time,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The resulting feature was published on March 14, 2022, publicly summarizing the case for the first time in years and providing Army CID contact information.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
If certified, the Johnson case could establish a significant precedent in defining the Education Department’s obligations under the FCRA.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Receiving a Michelin star can elevate a restaurant’s reputation globally and is often seen as a career-defining achievement for chefs.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Outlining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outlining. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share