1
as in traces
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 summarizes
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 contours
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 summaries
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 outlines
Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
The pharmaceutical industry is negotiating the reauthorization of the Prescription Drug User Act Fee, which outlines the fees the FDA collects from drugmakers to fund its reviews.
—Annika Kim Constantino,angelica Peebles, CNBC, 12 May 2026
The policy change comes after the Board of Managers temporarily suspended a board policy that outlines similar rights and legal procedures for at-will employees at its March 31 meeting.
—Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 May 2026
The budget outlines how much money the state expects to collect and spend in the coming year, and often includes adjustments to the current and prior years’ budgets, too.
—Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 12 May 2026
The America First Global Health Strategy outlines bilateral government-to-government compacts, co-investment requirements, and private-sector partnerships.
—Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
Her book outlines what leading the mission taught her about creating successful teams—and provides a framework for others to develop their leadership skills.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 9 May 2026
The strategy that Sean Glass outlines in this interview might be hard to replicate, but the creativity behind it isn’t.
—Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 8 May 2026
The agreement, which stems from a union grievance filed in November 2023, outlines the conditions under which a teacher accused of misconduct with a student, employee or adult may be reassigned.
—Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 6 May 2026
Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 7 May 2026
On the surface, Middle of Nowhere outlines the turmoil before and after an ex’s disappearing act.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 7 May 2026
Models came to his Potrero Hill studio and lay on fragile sheets of translucent paper while Ed traced their outlines.
—Emilie Hardman, JSTOR Daily, 6 May 2026
Fossils from these most special locations not only show body outlines and external textures but also preserve details from appendages and internal organs, from eyes and gills to guts and nerve networks.
—Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 1 May 2026
Plus, the minimalist heart outlines are dainty looking and would be a perfect choice for your wife or mom to wear every day.
—Olivia Dubyak, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
The just unsealed autopsy outlines what LAPD cops, medical examiners and others saw when the trunk was opened.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2026
The outlines of an agreement began to emerge Friday that would provide Iran with a major strategic victory.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
While the broad outlines are fairly clear, dogma should be avoided when dealing with the various types of gladiators.
—Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
Verb
The federal case outlines an alleged scheme in which the Chinese used Wang to burnish their country’s image.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
The pharmaceutical industry is negotiating the reauthorization of the Prescription Drug User Act Fee, which outlines the fees the FDA collects from drugmakers to fund its reviews.
—Annika Kim Constantino,angelica Peebles, CNBC, 12 May 2026
The policy change comes after the Board of Managers temporarily suspended a board policy that outlines similar rights and legal procedures for at-will employees at its March 31 meeting.
—Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 May 2026
The budget outlines how much money the state expects to collect and spend in the coming year, and often includes adjustments to the current and prior years’ budgets, too.
—Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 12 May 2026
The America First Global Health Strategy outlines bilateral government-to-government compacts, co-investment requirements, and private-sector partnerships.
—Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
Her book outlines what leading the mission taught her about creating successful teams—and provides a framework for others to develop their leadership skills.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 9 May 2026
The strategy that Sean Glass outlines in this interview might be hard to replicate, but the creativity behind it isn’t.
—Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 8 May 2026
The agreement, which stems from a union grievance filed in November 2023, outlines the conditions under which a teacher accused of misconduct with a student, employee or adult may be reassigned.
—Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 6 May 2026
Noun
Because of the outlines in the new collective bargaining agreement, Collier will now be an unrestricted free agent next offseason.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 7 May 2026
On the surface, Middle of Nowhere outlines the turmoil before and after an ex’s disappearing act.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 7 May 2026
Models came to his Potrero Hill studio and lay on fragile sheets of translucent paper while Ed traced their outlines.
—Emilie Hardman, JSTOR Daily, 6 May 2026
Fossils from these most special locations not only show body outlines and external textures but also preserve details from appendages and internal organs, from eyes and gills to guts and nerve networks.
—Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 1 May 2026
Plus, the minimalist heart outlines are dainty looking and would be a perfect choice for your wife or mom to wear every day.
—Olivia Dubyak, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
The just unsealed autopsy outlines what LAPD cops, medical examiners and others saw when the trunk was opened.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2026
The outlines of an agreement began to emerge Friday that would provide Iran with a major strategic victory.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
While the broad outlines are fairly clear, dogma should be avoided when dealing with the various types of gladiators.
—Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outlines
Verb
-
Benjamin Fanjoy / Getty Images The idea that people are entitled to be judged by a jury of their peers traces back to the Magna Carta of 1215, although the definition of peer has changed over time.—
David Ingram,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
-
Earlier on in the episode, Griffin finds a gun in his late dad's storage unit and traces it to match a gun that killed someone in an off-duty shooting.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Powell traditionally appears at a news conference after each FOMC meeting wraps up and summarizes the panel's views on the state of the economy — an event that is closely watched by markets.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
One such company is Blueprint, an AI assistant that summarizes sessions, updates electronic health records, and helps individual therapists track patient progress.—
Rhitu Chatterjee,
NPR,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The whites of lights and balloons popped, and black suits seemed extremely dark while clearly retaining their cuts and contours.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the report, the auditor general points out multiple concerning examples of mistakes in those summaries that could have a direct and negative impact on a patient’s subsequent care.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
14 May 2026
-
On Thursday evening, the two attended a state banquet in Beijing, and both countries released readouts, or summaries of that private meeting.—
Steve Inskeep,
NPR,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Across both the château and villa collection, the interiors avoid the polish that often defines contemporary luxury hospitality.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
12 May 2026
-
The company’s growth across three markets reflects a model that scales without losing the responsiveness that defines the client experience at the firm level.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
On-pitch leadership from figures like James, Colwill and Fernandez will also help.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
Task force member and history professor Bob Weinberg pushed back, saying reassessing historical figures is part of the academic process.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Or do your own thing with free-form shapes.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
-
Breads of many shapes sit in a row on the front counter at three-week-old Kouzeh Bakery, on display behind glass.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
From bold hardware accents to playful prints and barely-there silhouettes, there’s no shortage of statement-making options.—
Mecca Pryor,
Essence,
14 May 2026
-
Inspired by classic soccer silhouettes, this sporty pair still has a polished, chic look that works with a variety of outfits.—
Melony Forcier,
Travel + Leisure,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outlines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outlines. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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