PROFILE Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

profile 1 of 2

noun

Definition of profile

as in contour

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Dissimilar Words

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

Before this starmaking turn, Eleazar built a stateside profile on Apple TV’s Slow Horses alongside Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas. — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026 Criminals can combine pieces from multiple sources to create a much more complete profile. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026

Verb

Gautier managed 34 strikes in his lone decision and doesn’t profile as a volume threat. — Brett Appley, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026 At my former company, profiling ML models running on TPUs taught me that a measurement is only meaningful against what came before. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for profile

Recent Examples of Synonyms for profile

Noun

The multitasking device temporarily boosts radiance, improves firmness, and sculpts the look of facial contours—all in just a few minutes a day.

— Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 29 Sep. 2026
The precise contour creates a modern, striking look and gives the hair structure and character.

— Lena Raab, Glamour, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of contour

Verb

Mann outlined the concept for the new show, which is coming out in the next couple of months.

— Leo Barraclough, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
The rules have also drawn reactions from travelers online after one guest shared a photo of the card outlining the hotel's policies.

— Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of outline

Noun

Propagating the Chair To understand the geometric intuition behind the Chair44 shape, Tsiokos says, imagine a large cube composed of eight tiny cubes that are joined together.

— Rachel Crowell, Scientific American, 12 Oct. 2026
Chez Fonfon sits at the crux of Five Points South, a neighborhood named for five streets that converge in a star shape where streetcars connecting the then suburb of Highland to the city once rumbled.

— Leslie Pariseau, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of shape

Verb

In No Time to Die, Daniel Craig’s 007 (pictured above) wears one of the designer’s corduroy suits during the film’s opening chase.

— John Vorwald, Robb Report, 10 Oct. 2026
The logo of Russian internet group Yandex is pictured at the company's headquarter in Moscow.

— Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of picture

Noun

During demonstrations, the researchers folded the material diagonally in opposite directions, and its digital counterpart followed the changing geometry.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026
This concept shows up in geometry in the shapes of organisms and, most consequentially, in the molecules that make up living things.

— Mallory Green, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of geometry

Noun

Frémaux also turned the opening ceremony into his customary crash course in Lyon cinema history.

— Lise Pedersen, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Leaning into its history, Kessler has outfitted the hotel with installations that channel the Jurassic period, including life size dinosaur skeletons and fossils, backlit in a range of bright colors, displayed throughout the walls.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of history

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proficients

profile

profiled

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“Profile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/profile. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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