Definition of typenext

type

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word type distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of type are character, description, kind, nature, and sort. While all these words mean "a number of individuals thought of as a group because of a common quality or qualities," type may suggest strong and clearly marked similarity throughout the items included so that each is typical of the group.

one of three basic body types

When can character be used instead of type?

While the synonyms character and type are close in meaning, character implies a group marked by distinctive likenesses peculiar to the type.

research on the subject so far has been of an elementary character

When is it sensible to use description instead of type?

The words description and type can be used in similar contexts, but description implies a group marked by agreement in all details belonging to a type as described or defined.

not all acts of that description are actually illegal

When might kind be a better fit than type?

The synonyms kind and type are sometimes interchangeable, but kind may suggest natural grouping.

a zoo seemingly having animals of every kind

When could nature be used to replace type?

Although the words nature and type have much in common, nature may imply inherent, essential resemblance rather than obvious or superficial likenesses.

two problems of a similar nature

When is sort a more appropriate choice than type?

While in some cases nearly identical to type, sort often suggests some disparagement.

the sort of newspaper dealing in sensational stories

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 type
Verb
The keyboard is small and doesn't make typing easier or more accurate in my experience; the square-ish screen doesn't provide enough real estate for many apps; and its slow processor limits the phone's performance. Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 3 Aug. 2026 It’ll be spoken, typed, searched, hashtagged and, ideally, remembered. HubSpot, 31 July 2026 Within a few months, Arsenal had reverted to type and were less effective at attacking with pace. Art De Roché, New York Times, 31 July 2026 Fauci’s diary, which was typed on government computers from December 2019 to December 2022, became the centerpiece of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing. Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for type
Recent Examples of Synonyms for type
Noun
  • Invasive species of all kinds are already costing the global economy more than $423 billion annually.
    Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • In his first earnings call as CEO earlier this month, D’Amaro did speak on the possibility of introducing a free streaming offering of some kind.
    Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Women earn more than men at a majority of private baccalaureate institutional categories.
    Scott White, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The competition is divided into a range of categories, including wildlife, fine art and conservation.
    Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • But the chief declined to classify the violence as gang-related at a community briefing on July 24, when reporters pressed her about whether the people involved belonged to rival gangs or families.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Many of the first big commercial systems, like AltaVista, Lycos, Excite, and HotBot, used crawlers and indexes to automatically map a growing web rather than relying on editors to hand-classify every site.
    Alan Bradley, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Despite trying to break glass, rip through the foundation, and forcibly remove the door, something of the supernatural or at least thoroughly inhuman sort is keeping them inside.
    Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026
  • All vendors at the event were required to hand out school supplies of some sort, Hobart Police Chief Garrett Ciszewski said.
    Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Najib was later detained and became one of the highest-ranking officials to be put on trial.
    ABC News, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Minnesota ranked 29th in passing yards per game, 30th in QB rating and 32nd in turnovers.
    Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Both bands share a genre-bending approach, improvising to create performances that — in theory, at least — are singular.
    Jennifer Day, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Related Stories Ahmed describes the show as a blend of genres, mixing drama and comedy while poking fun at one of the biggest franchises of all time.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Start small by grouping items by type, discarding excess, and using storage solutions to maintain order and functionality.
    Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Hugging Face later reconstructed roughly 17,600 attacker actions grouped into about 6,280 clusters.
    Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Scattered along the walls of the studio were tidy heaps of scarves and mesh, rainbows of stripes, every shade of ballet pink, Uggs of every height.
    Claire Salinda, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Snag it in these playful stripes or any of the vibrant solid colors depending on the occasion.
    Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 11 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Type.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/type. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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