1
as in to trace
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 to summarize
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
1
as in silhouette
a line that traces the outer limits of an object or surface
place your hand on the paper and draw an outline around it
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in summary
a short statement of the main points
a printed outline of the lecture has been made available for all attendees
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of outline
Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
The agreement outlined specific exclusions for how the funds could be spent — and not spent.
—Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Rhodes in his Guiles getup has not been revealed, but according to ScreenRant, his costar, Andrew Schulz (who plays Dan Hibiki in the film), posted a tease of the character on his Instagram, snapping a pic of what appears to be the shadow outline of Guiles' flat-top helmet of hair.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outline
Verb
One study outlined the widespread distribution of electrical activity related to decision-making.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
The agreement outlined specific exclusions for how the funds could be spent — and not spent.
—Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
Ascending patterns elsewhere in the strings blur the outlines of that governing idea.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Rhodes in his Guiles getup has not been revealed, but according to ScreenRant, his costar, Andrew Schulz (who plays Dan Hibiki in the film), posted a tease of the character on his Instagram, snapping a pic of what appears to be the shadow outline of Guiles' flat-top helmet of hair.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outline
Verb
-
The chaos can be traced back to Macron’s dramatic decision to call a snap poll last year.—
Saskya Vandoorne,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The House bill would be eliminating an agency that’s officially been around since 1999 but can trace its roots all the way back to 1968.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Antonio Torres then summarized his claims, saying Geller had signed off on athletes in similar situations in the past.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Evaluating Oracle across Growth, Profitability, Financial Stability, and Downturn Resilience suggests the company retains a strong operating and financial base, as summarized below.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
It’s made with a soft cotton-blend material, sporting a classic gingham pattern, four buttons down the front, and a slim fit that cinches in your waist for a flattering silhouette.—
Jeaneen Russell,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The combination of mock-medieval silhouettes with all those big hats and acres of fabric in contrast with the lush sets somewhat brings to mind the delirious period pastiche design ethos of the late Derek Jarman, himself a production designer early in his career.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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That's the general summary of the argument insider Robert Murray of FanSided made on Monday, when suggesting that the slugger could ditch Philadelphia for one of his former clubs.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
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Both products can also provide summaries of text conversations in threads and channels.—
John Brandon,
PC Magazine,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Mercenaries are defined as soldiers who are contracted by third parties unaffiliated with a nation’s armed forces and motivated primarily by private gain.—
Rebecca Johns,
Miami Herald,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Rivalries that are long in tenure and thick with hatred define college sports in the Deep South, where football is second only to faith in some places.—
Quentin Corpuel,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
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This is because the cream is enriched with two types of hyaluronic acid all while brightening, smoothing, and firming your delicate eye contour.—
Essence,
Essence,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The palette includes five buildable creams; one color corrector as well as two contour and two highlight shades to create dimension.—
Jackie Fields,
People.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Bowie had begun to sketch out a story and think of possible characters for The Spectator, which appeared to be a blend of fact and fiction.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Unclear, but if an episode mimics that Saturday Night Live sketch with Mikey Day and Ryan Gosling, that would be pleasantly self-aware.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Outline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outline. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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