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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
Beijing calls for ‘extraordinary measures’ toward self-reliance Chinese authorities outlined plans to increase the country’s self-reliance and deepen its dominance of manufacturing. Ben Smith, semafor.com, 31 Oct. 2025 What Happens Next The Pentagon is expected to outline a timeline for the resumption of nuclear testing in the coming weeks, while Iran has signaled plans to raise the issue at the United Nations. Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
This creates an outline that extends beyond the natural lip line, so that the lips appear bigger or fuller. Grace McCarty, Glamour, 24 Oct. 2025 Piles of debris outline where the building, which traditionally served as the office of the First Lady, once stood. Thomas Bordeaux, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for outline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outline
Verb
  • The team traced this distortion to optostriction, where the electromagnetic field of light exerts a small but measurable mechanical force on the atoms.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2025
  • From his beginnings in small-town Wyoming to his years at the heart of two Bush administrations, his life traced a path through half a century of American government—marked by strategic mastery, fierce controversy, and an unyielding belief in the exercise of authority.
    Daniel Orton, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • During a July City Commission meeting, Commissioner Richard Lara, who received at least one of the surveys but did not respond to it, summarized the allegations detailed in the blog posts.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • This version falls right at the hips and has a relaxed yet feminine silhouette, thanks to its cap-like sleeves.
    Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 31 Oct. 2025
  • The shoes featured a pointed-toe silhouette and skinny 105mm heel.
    Kelsey Stewart, Footwear News, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Users will be able to access their Wrapped summary through a pop-up in the Spotify app once it is released.
    Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Nov. 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, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Becky Lynch is ensuring that her reign as Women's Intercontinental Champion is defined by controversy and confidence.
    Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
  • In Italy, a bill to introduce consent as the central element in defining rape was proposed in February last year and is under review.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 31 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 6 Nov. 2025.

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