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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Amy Bradford, Architectural Digest, 29 Mar. 2026
That uncomfortable, unyielding design had largely been left unchanged for nearly a century—and remains the dominant style in the global bra market, which is expected to reach nearly $60 billion by 2032.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2026
Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2026
Swalwell is running for governor of California, and his attorneys contend the files' release is designed to damage his campaign rather than serve any legitimate law enforcement purpose.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for design
Noun
They're juxtaposed with quirky contemporary designs, like a brass-and-zinc coffee table by French-Serbian artist Marko and Edoardo Lietti’s Sedia Tonda chair, which recalls the cut-outs of the screens throughout.
—Amy Bradford, Architectural Digest, 29 Mar. 2026
That uncomfortable, unyielding design had largely been left unchanged for nearly a century—and remains the dominant style in the global bra market, which is expected to reach nearly $60 billion by 2032.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
With more than seven hundred objects, spread across three floors, the show is designed to both stimulate and fatigue you.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2026
Swalwell is running for governor of California, and his attorneys contend the files' release is designed to damage his campaign rather than serve any legitimate law enforcement purpose.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for design
Recent Examples of Synonyms for design
Noun
-
By the second day, a cable from headquarters informed Chalker that the plan had changed.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Grant Willliams sat out the tail end of the Hornets’ back-to-back, which was the team’s third game in four nights, keeping in tune with the plan for him following his return from tears in his right ACL and meniscus.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The prosecution said all along that the two younger defendants were part of the scheme, but Alaniz Pineda was the one who shot Canoy.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Authorities arrested eight people accused of conducting a series of health care fraud schemes that bilked tens of millions of dollars from Medicare and other insurance companies across Southern California, prosecutors announced April 2.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The robotic characters break free from their restaurant resting place to cause chaos in town, while the villainous Marionette pops up to possess victims for her own nefarious purposes.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Trump has not only stolen top-secret government files, apparently for business purposes but used his office to harass and investigate his political targets.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Singapore Botanical Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the world's great urban green spaces, inspired everything from the color palette (soft greens, aqua blues, natural wood tones) to the botanical motifs that appear in textiles and art throughout the property.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Vintage Guess surf and skate graphics are layered and remixed with Hysteric’s motifs and retro stripes across a range of tees.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Strict regulations required the new buildings to follow the exact blueprint of the original layout, so bungalows, villas and residences are scattered between lush gardens and the shoreline.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Here, the layout funnels life toward one central gathering space.—
David Caraccio
April 4,
Sacbee.com,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Supporters said the bill is intended to address ongoing concerns about insurance availability following destructive wildfires across the region.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Attorneys for Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating conservative icon Charlie Kirk, have revealed who prosecutors intend to call to the stand and also asked the court to delay the preliminary hearing.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In the face of this uncertainty, companies and other organizations are preparing for a world in which the conflict — and subsequent jolt to crude prices — becomes a long-term challenge, affecting everything from travel planning to mail delivery.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
-
If any paperwork is involved, prepare it beforehand to skip mid-discussion confusion.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
A lot of the Mustangs’ strategy against the Wolverines was to get the ball out wide and then double that kid and just try to frustrate Wakeland which Grapevine did time and time again.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Leo, who studied canon law, has spent much of his first eleven months in office assessing the Vatican internally, like a new chief executive getting to know a firm’s culture before initiating strategies for optimal performance.—
Paul Elie,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Design.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/design. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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