type 1 of 2

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
There are modifier and media keys for both Windows and macOS users, plus each key can be customized for anyone who likes to set up their keyboard for maximum productivity and typing comfort. Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026 Search by address Just type your address into the box below to see your snowfall total and a map of nearby measurements. Brandi D. Addison, Freep.com, 25 Jan. 2026 Those who type the provided address into their GPS will find themselves on the backside of the Mission Farms shopping center. Kansas City Star, 22 Jan. 2026 Today, a Luddite is your grandparent who keeps looking at the screen rather than the camera when on Zoom, the Boomer who types in all-capital letters, the grouchy man who refuses to get a smart phone, the professor spewing invective against Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok. Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for type
Recent Examples of Synonyms for type
Noun
  • The 20-year-old -- whom friends and family described as a kind and hardworking waitress at a Friendly's restaurant in Chicopee, Massachusetts -- was found brutally murdered in her own home.
    Mason Leath, ABC News, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Other historic bars on the list Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar at Fairmont San Francisco in San Francisco, California, offers a one-of-a-kind tiki bar experience.
    Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Taken together, the list reads like a snapshot of a category that’s evolving quickly while still holding onto its roots.
    Emily Price, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
  • That category is now under the purview of Sequino, president of Lauder’s makeup brand cluster, who returned to the company after stints as chief executive officer of both JLo Beauty and Supergoop.
    James Manso, Footwear News, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The school, which has around five hundred students, does not ask parents to report their immigration status, but more than half the kids are classified as English-language learners.
    Emily Witt, New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2026
  • The Helix is classified as a Part 103 ultralight aircraft, the same regulatory class as a hang glider.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • My niece reminded me how seamlessly packing cubes can take an overstuffed suitcase and transform it into an easy-to-sort home for my many essentials.
    Rachel Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Advertisement The city also set up an informational hotline of sorts—residents could stay up-to-date on the storm and the city’s response by texting NOTIFYNYC to 692-692.
    Chantelle Lee, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Mich -- Mila Holloway scored a career-high 26 points to help Michigan outlast Michigan State in overtime in the rivals' first matchup with both teams ranked in the top 15 of The Associated Press women's college basketball poll.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Feb. 2026
  • There’s also a high-ranking Chesapeake Bay retriever, a prominent papillon and many other buzzy contenders.
    Jennifer Peltz, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Our team actually went down a rabbit hole really just studying this category of books because there are a lot of folks that didn’t even really know that this genre existed or existed in such volume and that there was so much fandom around it.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 31 Jan. 2026
  • After more than a decade of success, the 2000s saw a recession that some thought might spell the end of the space sim genre.
    Alan Bradley, Space.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Having the facility for similar activities grouped in locations so that work can be done efficiently.
    Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 29 Jan. 2026
  • In the essay, Amodei predicts that by about 2027, cluster sizes, or the interconnected computing resources grouped together to train or power AI, will allow for the running of millions of AI instances, each operating at superhuman speed.
    Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • This super cute manicure features red, coral, and pink wavy stripes going down the middle of each nail like a winding road, while little white hearts and dots dance down the line.
    Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 31 Jan. 2026
  • The aptly named Polo 79 was the spitting image of its predecessor, with the signature gadroons (stripes) running horizontally across the case, dial, and bracelet.
    Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 31 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Type.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/type. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.

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