variants
or less commonly canvass
plural canvases also canvasses
1
: a firm closely woven cloth usually of linen, hemp, or cotton used for clothing and formerly much used for tents and sails
2
a
: a piece of cloth backed or framed as a surface for a painting
an artist's canvas
also
: the painting on such a surface
b
: something likened to a painter's canvas
… just up the driveway is an extraordinary piece of garden design. [Ruth] Bancroft is the artist and her canvas is a three-acre patch of land in the midst of suburbia.—
Harriet Chiang
Harriet ChiangIn addition to the cover-up work, [Miryam] Lumpini will turn the dimpled canvas of a young man's back into a magnificent phoenix.—Allure
AllureThe birds were moving art on a canvas of sky and water and endless prairie.—Shannon Tompkins
Shannon Tompkins
c
: the background, setting, or scope of a historical or fictional account or narrative
the crowded canvas of history
3
: a piece of canvas used for a particular purpose
a hammock made of canvas
4
: tent
also
: a group of tents
5
: a set of sails : sail
sailing under full canvas
6
: a stiff material (as of coarse cloth or plastic) that has regular meshes for working with a needle (as in needlepoint)
7
: the canvas-covered floor of a boxing or wrestling ring
canvased or canvassed; canvasing or canvassing
: to cover, line, or furnish with canvas
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Canvas vs. Canvass
The much more common verb, with meanings that include "to examine in detail" and "to ask (the people in an area) for their opinions or to request their support," is usually spelled canvass but occassionally is also spelled canvas.
Examples of canvas in a Sentence
Noun
a tent made of canvas
Use a canvas to cover the boat.
The museum has several canvases by Rubens.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sophie Lou Wilson,
Vogue,
2 July 2026
The upper’s made of clean white canvas and is sure to go with every casual summer outfit, from a sundress to a breezy linen set.
—
Cheryl Wagemann,
InStyle,
2 July 2026
Alabama man creates intricate America 250 lawn art In Trussville, Alabama, one homeowner turned his front yard into a patriotic canvas.
—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
The foundation of her elevated concept is that the hot dog serves as a canvas for bold and creative ingredient profiles.
—
Sam Flemming,
AJC.com,
1 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for canvas
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Since its inception, social media has been a proving ground for tween fashion and identity, offering under-16s a digital canvas to experiment with their style and form online cliques around niche interests.
—
Sophie Lou Wilson,
Vogue,
2 July 2026
The upper’s made of clean white canvas and is sure to go with every casual summer outfit, from a sundress to a breezy linen set.
—
Cheryl Wagemann,
InStyle,
2 July 2026
Alabama man creates intricate America 250 lawn art In Trussville, Alabama, one homeowner turned his front yard into a patriotic canvas.
—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
The foundation of her elevated concept is that the hot dog serves as a canvas for bold and creative ingredient profiles.
—
Sam Flemming,
AJC.com,
1 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for canvas
Cite this Entry
“Canvas.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/canvas. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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