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outline

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun outline differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of outline are contour, profile, and silhouette. While all these words mean "the line that bounds and gives form to something," outline applies to a line marking the outer limits or edges of a body or mass.

traced the outline of his hand

When might contour be a better fit than outline?

The meanings of contour and outline largely overlap; however, contour stresses the quality of an outline or a bounding surface as being smooth, jagged, curving, or sharply angled.

a car with flowing contours

When can profile be used instead of outline?

In some situations, the words profile and outline are roughly equivalent. However, profile suggests a varied and sharply defined outline against a lighter background.

a portrait of her face in profile

When is it sensible to use silhouette instead of outline?

The synonyms silhouette and outline are sometimes interchangeable, but silhouette suggests a shape especially of a head or figure with all detail blacked out in shadow leaving only the outline clearly defined.

photograph in silhouette against a bright sky

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 outline
Verb
Anna Rotkirch, with the nonprofit Family Federation of Finland authored a report last year commissioned by the Finnish government, which outlined possible causes and policy solutions. Sarah McCammon, NPR, 27 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
Noun
Slides can generate presentation outlines, create slides, and design professional graphics on demand. PC Magazine, 20 Oct. 2025 In the center of the room, swathed in shadow, is the faint spectral outline of a small boy. Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for outline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outline
Verb
  • The police went through his phone but could not trace the Rana Pratap who had tormented Barik.
    Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025
  • The engine and chassis trace their roots back to the mid-1990s, steadily refined year after year until this apotheosis.
    Robert Ross, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Provide a narrative that summarizes any changes in revenue, expense reductions and board notices to monitor current financial status in the district.
    Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Google search results have AI summaries at the top, the Gemini digital assistant can summarize web pages and answer questions in Chrome.
    Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Ododos Wide Leg Palazzo Lounge Pants Palazzo pants aren’t just a summertime silhouette in my book.
    Melony Forcier, Travel + Leisure, 24 Oct. 2025
  • The formfitting silhouette and was presented during New York Fashion Week in September.
    Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Chegg also sued Google in February, arguing that AI summaries of search results have hurt its traffic and sales.
    Annie Palmer, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2025
  • The summaries below were drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division.
    Real-Time News team, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The fallout from all this has defined an especially dramatic week in Spanish football.
    Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Its artistic yet pragmatic nature also defines Valladolid’s role as a place of discovery platform, a prestige auteurs’ hub just weeks after San Sebastián — and a bridge for awards-season exposure.
    Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • These pants are available in a petite-friendly 29-inch inseam and feature a wide contour waistband that smooths you out.
    Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Indeed, global features director and mattress reviewer Sam Cochran reported a similar experience when trying out the brand’s Lux Hybrid Mattress—which combines three layers of foam with a firm core support and contour-adapt coils.
    Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The goal is clearly to emulate a series like Slow Horses or The Americans, yet all that attention paid to what the Talamasca does wrong only amplifies how the show fails to sketch a genuine identity for the group.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2025
  • New Metric’s previously announced The Eh-List stand-up specials are currently in production and will also feature on shozerTV, as will sketch show Picnicface from Shadowpine Studios.
    Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Outline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outline. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on outline

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