painting 1 of 2

noun

ˈpān-tiŋ How to pronounce painting (audio)
Definition of paintingnext
as in canvas
a picture created with oil paint the Mona Lisa is a haunting painting of a woman with a most mysterious smile

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

painting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of paint
1
as in describing
to give a representation or account of in words the description painted a perfect image of the sun setting over the ocean

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tinting
to give color or a different color to I've decided to paint the bathroom walls purple

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 painting
Noun
Pemberton’s mixed-media works will be on display, ranging from paintings to quilts. — Claire Harutunian, Charlotte Observer, 8 Sep. 2026 In Rouy’s experience, figurative painting was once seen as embarrassingly retrograde. — David Lê, Curbed, 8 Sep. 2026
Verb
Yes, the language of Love Island USA is part of its strategic gameplay, so painting your villa-mates as more interested in playing the field than finding love is a beneficial move. — Ali Barthwell, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026 With the film set to go into production in fall 2027 in Alberta, Canada, and Switzerland, Meier is giddy about the prospect of painting on a broader canvas than ever before. — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for painting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for painting
  1. canvas
  2. describing
  3. tinting
  4. mural
  5. depicting
  6. staining
  7. watercolor
  8. portraying
Noun
  • Some Grouper tracks are cosmic, with synths appearing like auroras along the firmament; others use wispy, haunted vocals and acoustic guitar like gentle brushstrokes on a boundless canvas.
    — Rhoda Feng, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The kingdom’s painters gave their canvases to palm trees and dates, dhows and calligraphy, while crude merely paid for the paint.
    — Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of canvas
Verb
  • Patrick Clancy, the prosecution’s first witness, spent two days on the stand describing her downward spiral despite her efforts to seek psychiatric treatment.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Maresca has also probably muddied the waters by refusing to identify a preferred holding midfielder and describing both new players in similar terms.
    — Sam Lee, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of describing
Verb
  • The pumpkin takes their place, tinting the dough a pretty golden color.
    — Emily Paster, Midwest Living, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones talked about tinting the windows to AT&T Stadium following the FIFA World Cup in an interview with Fox 4.
    — Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of tinting
Noun
  • This lofty ambition can be felt everywhere, from the futuristic tube-like elevators to the surprise late addition of a top-floor exhibition dedicated to original Banksy murals, which some staff had not even yet seen.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026
  • When the exhibition travels to the Des Moines Art Center next month, Favela will make a new piñata mural based on a work in that institution’s collection.
    — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of mural
Verb
  • The Rodríguez government has since largely stopped publicly addressing Maduro’s status, while some murals depicting him in Caracas have been painted over in recent months.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Together, Taro and Capa blaze a trail in war reporting, documenting the Spanish Civil War with photographs depicting the ordinary the men and women who are fighting, the latter inspiring Taro to adopt the blue jumpsuit that became her signature.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of depicting
Verb
  • Foods like tomato sauce and chocolate can cause staining if they aren’t wiped up right away.
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Her hobbies include quilting, gardening and refurbishing furniture with Bill, with Hiers often adding the finishing touches by staining and painting their projects.
    — Doris Alvarez Cea, Florida Times-Union, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of staining
Noun
  • Actor Nakadai Tatsuya provides the Devil’s voice, while the camera drifts across static watercolor paintings under Fukai Kuni’s art direction.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Their ever-changing gallery artists include oil, watercolor, photography, mixed media, digital art, wall-hangings, textiles, gourds, wood-turning, pottery, jewelry, glasswork, etc.
    — News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of watercolor
Verb
  • Footage from the event showed an actress portraying Nikki screaming at and startling guests.
    — Denis Akbari, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Monroe Mayor Robert Burns, a Republican, seized on Newsom’s visit in a post on X, portraying the California governor’s appearance as evidence that Monroe, and North Carolina, have become politically important enough to draw national attention.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of portraying

Phrases Containing painting

Browse Nearby Words

painted
painting
paintings
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Painting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/painting. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on painting

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about painting

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of loath

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All