plates

noun

plural of plate
1
as in scales
a small thin piece of material that resembles an animal scale the tiny silver plates on the brooch are arranged to look like fish scales

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in diagrams
something that visually explains or decorates a text the book's color plate illustrates the internal organs of the human body

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 plates Most plates work fine on carpet, though some brands recommend a dense rubber mat underneath for stability. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2026 The pass includes the never-ending first course of soup or salad and breadsticks and unlimited plates of Olive Garden’s Never-Ending Pasta Bowl creations. — Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2026 In addition, some claims around vibration plates fighting osteoporosis might be true, but shouldn’t be considered a treatment on its own. — Alexandra Frost, USA Today, 10 July 2026 One of those residents, a man called Foots Fowler, was well over six feet tall with arms hanging past his knees and, as the nickname suggests, feet the size of dinner plates. — Star-Telegram Staff, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2026 At boundaries, because the edges of plates are rough, areas can get stuck while the rest of the plate keeps moving, per USGS. — Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026 In a clever nod to the regional speciality of porcelain, it’s all served on plates by local makers Bernardaud, decorated by the artist Marco Brambilla. — James Rampton, TheWeek, 9 July 2026 In the meantime, restaurants were all equipped with high chairs, a kids’ menu, and special creations arrived for my daughter on cute wooden bear plates. — Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026 This creates a massive traffic jam for lithium ions, which are forced to travel long, winding detours around the edges of the plates just to cross the electrode. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 6 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plates
  1. scales
  2. diagrams
  3. sheets
  4. graphics
  5. figures
  6. illustrations
Noun
  • Mercantile scales and rusted bird cages are scattered across crowded shelves.
    — Tara Anne Dalbow, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
  • The approval and absence of concessions have magnified speculation of Trump putting his thumb on the scales for Paramount CEO David Ellison’s plans to assemble a media conglomerate.
    — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 13 July 2026
Definition of scales
Noun
  • Someone other than the original builder should review the code or process diagrams.
    — Aaron Rallo, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • Greenwald has been known to draw diagrams for patients, showing them how to find their G-spot.
    — Melanie Thernstrom, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Definition of diagrams
Noun
  • Gen goes with Coop and Kat instead, and, in an act of revenge, tells Coop about the sheets, knowing the information will travel among the deck team.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 July 2026
  • The process was originally commercialized for paper recycling, but beginning in January 2023, Epson started using it to convert used garments and mill ends into fibers from which new non-woven fabric sheets could be produced.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 14 July 2026
Definition of sheets
Noun
  • The story around this is quite well known, but back in the 1990’s, Nvidia failed to meet Sega’s console expectations for a new graphics chip, and Sega ended up utilizing NEC's PowerVR GPU for the mighty Dreamcast instead.
    — Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • The company says the approach delivers accurate AI inference without depending on cloud infrastructure, graphics processors, or future quantum computers.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 July 2026
Definition of graphics
Noun
  • During his tenure, Rousteing spearheaded the creation of the ‘Balmain Army’, a diverse and influential community of models, influencers, and celebrities that included figures such as the Kardashians.
    — Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 14 July 2026
  • The narrative centers on the early careers and shifting dynamic between legendary figures Cao Cao and Yuan Shao as political corruption, peasant rebellions, and personal ambitions push the capital of Luoyang into absolute chaos.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 July 2026
Definition of figures
Noun
  • One of the most poignant illustrations of shifting baseline syndrome comes courtesy of researcher Loren McClenachan.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026
  • Some readers are moving away from Seuss because of racist and insensitive illustrations in Geisel’s books and cartoons.
    — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 11 July 2026
Definition of illustrations

Browse Nearby Words

platefuls
plates
platform
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Cite this Entry

“Plates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plates. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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