profile 1 of 2

noun

Definition of profilenext
1
as in contour

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in character sketch

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profile

2 of 2

verb

as in to outline
to produce a representation of the shape of the head as seen from the side his likeness was profiled against a background of vegetation

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun profile differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of profile are contour, outline, and silhouette. While all these words mean "the line that bounds and gives form to something," profile suggests a varied and sharply defined outline against a lighter background.

a portrait of her face in profile

Where would contour be a reasonable alternative to profile?

The synonyms contour and profile are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 might outline be a better fit than profile?

While the synonyms outline and profile are close in meaning, outline applies to a line marking the outer limits or edges of a body or mass.

traced the outline of his hand

When could silhouette be used to replace profile?

In some situations, the words silhouette and profile are roughly equivalent. However, 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 profile
Noun
For today's launch, once the Atlas V reaches orbit this evening, the rocket's second stage will deploy the satellites in groups of three over the course of about 10 minutes, releasing the final two 37 minutes and 41 seconds after liftoff, according to ULA's flight profile. —Josh Dinner, Space.com, 29 May 2026 Read Jenn Pelly’s 2022 profile Burning CDs With Blood Orange’s Dev Hynes in the Basement of Madison Square Garden. —Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 29 May 2026
Verb
Read Erika Alexander’s full IndieWire Honors profile here. —Robert Carlock, IndieWire, 2 June 2026 In Vogue, Robert Sullivan profiles former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland from New Mexico. —David Weigel, semafor.com, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for profile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for profile
  1. contour
  2. character sketch
  3. outline
  4. shape
  5. obituary
  6. picture
  7. geometry
  8. history
Noun
  • In 2018, Kim Kardashian even demonstrated the method in a video, applying her contour under her lower lip and just above the Cupid’s bow before applying liner and lipstick.
    — Vanessa Santos, Glamour, 7 June 2026
  • Lounging on the floor, Hadid demonstrated her GRWM routine, clipping back her hair to apply smoky pink eyeshadow and delicate contour to her face.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 6 June 2026
Definition of contour
Noun
  • Back at home, Score starts with a rough character sketch of her protagonists and then fleshes out the scenes, writing in strict 25-minute increments.
    — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 22 Mar. 2026
Definition of character sketch
Verb
  • Altair and four other stars form a large vertical diamond that outlines the eagle’s wingspan.
    — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026
  • Four years later, in April 2025, CATL unveiled its second-generation Naxtra sodium-ion battery and outlined plans to deploy the technology across a wide range of applications, including passenger and commercial vehicles, battery-swapping networks, and stationary energy storage systems.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 7 June 2026
Definition of outline
Noun
  • Despite the colorful comparisons, Williams and Tsien based the museum’s shape on a visual of four hands coming together, promoting the idea that many hands shape a place, according to the center.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
  • Instead, alpine coziness is cleverly expressed through sleek contemporary shapes and a minimalist spin on a multitude of materials and textures.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026
Definition of shape
Noun
  • Following her death in 2012, for example, the astronaut came out in her own obituary.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 3 June 2026
  • Jamie has continued to pay tribute to her sister on social media, sharing meaningful memories from throughout their lives as well as publishing her obituary.
    — Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 2 June 2026
Definition of obituary
Verb
  • As the journey progresses, a male driver and his female companion (neither pictured on-screen) begin to discuss the Winkie.
    — Jonathan Odden, Artforum, 2 June 2026
  • At the Thief Valley Reservoir, pictured in August 2024, fish that aren't caught by anglers are likely to be trapped in isolated pools and die by summer's end.
    — Evan Bush, NBC news, 2 June 2026
Definition of picture
Noun
  • While trying to troubleshoot MAVEN’s condition, NASA had to work around some inconvenient celestial geometry in the form of the latest Mars solar conjunction.
    — Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 3 June 2026
  • The timing of the declaration comes two weeks after OpenAI publicized one of its AI models as having disproved an 80-year-old mathematical conjecture in geometry.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 2 June 2026
Definition of geometry
Noun
  • The Canes have absolutely torn through the Eastern Conference en route to their third Cup Final appearance in franchise history.
    — Matt Reigle, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
  • Haaland could make history as the first female Native American governor if she’s elected.
    — Erin Cox, Washington Post, 3 June 2026
Definition of history

Browse Nearby Words

proficients
profile
profiled
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Cite this Entry

“Profile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/profile. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of profile for Spanish Speakers

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