Choose the Right Synonym for silhouette

Noun

outline, contour, profile, silhouette mean the line that bounds and gives form to something. outline applies to a line marking the outer limits or edges of a body or mass. traced the outline of his hand contour stresses the quality of an outline or a bounding surface as being smooth, jagged, curving, or sharply angled. a car with flowing contours profile suggests a varied and sharply defined outline against a lighter background. a portrait of her face in profile 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

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Noun

Before the age of the photograph, the silhouette, either cut from paper or painted, was the most affordable portrait that could be made. The art enjoyed a golden age in the second half of the 18th and first half of the 19th centuries, when many people collected them. Although silhouettes were well-loved, the man for whom they were named was not: Étienne de Silhouette was France's finance minister under Louis XV and was notorious for both his frugality and his hobby of making cut-paper shadow portraits. The phrase à la Silhouette came to mean "on the cheap," and portraits like the ones he produced were (satirically) bestowed with his name as well.

Examples of silhouette in a Sentence

Noun the silhouettes of buildings against the sky The buildings appeared in silhouette against the sky. My piano teacher has a framed silhouette of Mozart on her wall. a portrait of my mother done in silhouette He admired the sports car's sleek silhouette. Verb in the photograph the majestic mountain is strikingly silhouetted against the setting sun See More

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Denim jumpsuits are a stylish summer look and run the gamut with regards to silhouette, from refreshed overalls to nods to the utilitarian look and even patterned iterations as seen at Sandro. — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 11 June 2022 In the sea of platform sandals, this pair levels up the silhouette with a standout color and leg-accentuating laces. — Tiffany Dodson And Halie Lesavage, Harper's BAZAAR, 8 June 2022 The double-strap silhouette is enhanced with Crocs' Croslite foam footbeds to provide long-lasting support and cushioning to your toes, arches, and heels. — Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure, 7 June 2022 When searching for any new professional waredrobe pieces, consider your body type in order to find the best silhouette for you. — Stephanie (stifel) Coughlan, Forbes, 6 June 2022 The dimensions of this replica, sold in a set of two, are accurate within an inch of the original, though the seat isn't as elongated and doesn't have the same sleek silhouette. — Rachel Klein, Popular Mechanics, 5 June 2022 The Utility is made to take a beating, but everyone raved about how good the slim silhouette looks. — Joe Jackson, Outside Online, 27 May 2022 Iconic sportswear brand, adidas, and IVY PARK, Beyoncé’s popular athleisure line, have announced the newest sneaker silhouette to come from this dynamic, ongoing creative partnership. — Aley Arion, Essence, 26 May 2022 The sweet eyelet design adds character to this universally flattering silhouette. — Karla Pope, Woman's Day, 24 May 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The ankles of the Weekender Pants are also elasticized and tapered to master the classic sweatpants silhouette. — Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure, 14 May 2022 Gvasalia started with many of Balenciaga’s iconic pieces on his mood board and reconsidered them either through material or slight changes to silhouette. — Steff Yotka, Vogue, 8 July 2021 People are silhouetted in a window of an apartment building in Hollywood, where a stay-at-home order remains in effect to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. — Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2020 Amalia is constantly calling out to the family’s late Tia Carmen (musician Maria Sandoval-Moreno), who stands silhouetted in a second-floor window wearing a death mask and plucking a violin. — Manuel Mendoza, Dallas News, 26 Mar. 2020 The outlines of the pillars appear to be very delicate, as they are silhouetted against an eerie blue haze in deep space. — Fox News, 8 Apr. 2020 The duck crossed a slight rise, 40 yards away, silhouetted for a quick moment like a mule deer making a break over a ridgeline. — T. Edward Nickens, Field & Stream, 10 Mar. 2020 The first segment depicts the climbers checking their equipment by headlamp before the camera pans to the rising sun silhouetting the ridge line ahead. — Niha Masih, Washington Post, 9 July 2019 The trees are dark, almost silhouetted, and set off against bright skies that occasionally look juice-filled—red or lemon-colored. — Zachary Fine, The New York Review of Books, 8 Feb. 2020 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'silhouette.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.