1
as in plan
a method worked out in advance for achieving some objective
she always achieves her objective by design rather than by luck
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in scheme
a secret plan for accomplishing evil or unlawful ends
the thief had devised an elaborate design to get the invaluable artwork
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in purpose
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish
my design in writing to you is to ask for your support
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
5
as in layout
the way in which the elements of something (as a work of art) are arranged
the design of the building's lobby encourages the free flow of traffic
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1
as in to plan
to have in mind as a purpose or goal
early on she had designed to a top position in a major insurance company
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2
as in to prepare
to work out the details of (something) in advance
the foreman designed a better layout for the factory floor to improve efficiency
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of design
Mia Huelsbeck, People.com, 14 Sep. 2025
The secret sauce behind the breakthrough is a clever manipulation of its molecular design.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025
Tim Brinkhof, Big Think, 15 Sep. 2025
Northrop's Cygnus is designed to dispose of trash at the end of each mission by burning up in Earth's atmosphere.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for design
Noun
Because of its open-work design, the sweater makes a versatile choice for cool, end-of-summer nights and warm fall days.
—Mia Huelsbeck, People.com, 14 Sep. 2025
The secret sauce behind the breakthrough is a clever manipulation of its molecular design.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
In addition to authoring several bestselling books on business modeling — including 2020’s The Invincible Company — Osterwalder now serves as the founder and CEO of Strategyzer, an innovation consultancy and software development firm that helps companies design, test, and scale new business models.
—Tim Brinkhof, Big Think, 15 Sep. 2025
Northrop's Cygnus is designed to dispose of trash at the end of each mission by burning up in Earth's atmosphere.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for design
Recent Examples of Synonyms for design
Noun
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At least one former candidate – Kansas City attorney Stacy Lake, who lost to White in the Democratic primary for County Executive in 2022 – has announced plans to run at that point.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
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The bulk of his cases are reviews involving the major Medicaid plans in Ohio.—
Duaa Eldeib,
ProPublica,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Roberts and Robinson, who federal prosecutors say conducted the scheme over the course of five years, between 2018 and 2023, allegedly stole $900,000 from the court system.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Just look at the offense — more weapons, better scheme, more support.—
Dianna Russini,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
In a 2004 study, the United States Institute of Peace said that hundreds of terrorist groups had migrated online, utilizing a tool meant for better communication for often nefarious purposes.—
Richard Frankel,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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From menswear motifs like herringbone and plaid to double-breasted shapes inspired by uniform dressing, our favorite jackets include all the essentials—plus some with a little more of a fashion-forward edge—to style with your go-to T-shirts and fall boots.—
Kristina Rutkowski,
Glamour,
12 Sep. 2025
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Color, texture and small details like patterns and sartorial motifs clue the audience further into a character’s interiority.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Instead of designing every joint one by one, the engineers can copy layouts from anatomy books, making the whole design process easier.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Sep. 2025
-
New hotels come in all shapes and sizes and can feature custom furnishings, open-plan layouts, views that overlook crystal blue water, rooftop infinity pools with panoramic views, culinary artistry and transformative Wellbeing Centers.—
Roger Sands,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Despite lacking any legal education or experience, Routh dismissed his lawyers earlier this year and intends to defend himself at trial.—
Peter Charalambous,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
-
It is not intended as legal, financial, medical, or professional advice.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Crunch talks The industry split on this issue comes as auto bosses prepare to meet the EU’s von der Leyen on Friday.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
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House Republicans’ divisions on how the United States should engage in foreign wars will be on full display on Wednesday as the House prepares to vote on a handful of amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
To learn more about the interim pintail strategy, visit the Fish and Wildlife website.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Many SMBs are also exploring external partnerships as part of their strategy—not as a replacement for internal responsibility, but as a way to extend their capabilities.—
Ro'ee Margalit,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Design.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/design. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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