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outline

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun outline differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of outline are contour, profile, and silhouette. While all these words 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

When might contour be a better fit than outline?

The meanings of contour and outline largely overlap; however, contour stresses the quality of an outline or a bounding surface as being smooth, jagged, curving, or sharply angled.

a car with flowing contours

When can profile be used instead of outline?

In some situations, the words profile and outline are roughly equivalent. However, profile suggests a varied and sharply defined outline against a lighter background.

a portrait of her face in profile

When is it sensible to use silhouette instead of outline?

The synonyms silhouette and outline are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

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 outline
Verb
In her launch video, Stratton wasted no time outlining the stakes. Melissa Noel, Essence, 25 Apr. 2025 In 2009, then-President Barack Obama held a press conference on his 100th day in office to outline his achievements and set the tone for the remainder of his term. James Powel, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
Other details about the series, apart from the broad outlines of it following first responders in the Tennessee city, are also being held back for now, as is the norm with many of Murphy’s series. Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 15 Apr. 2025 The report added that the union presented an outline for a CBA in December that included significantly higher salaries, but the league hasn’t responded to it. Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for outline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outline
Verb
  • Blackburn’s cellphone was traced near the lake, according to the outlets.
    Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
  • The initial cases were traced back to outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Taking time to follow up after difficult conversations by summarizing agreements in writing can further ensure that your efforts to bridge the divide are documented and clear.
    Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Motorola’s new flip phones include AI tools that can do things like analyze what’s on a phone’s screen to provide suggestions and summarize notifications.
    Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • And adding a few inches to your outfit’s silhouette doesn’t hurt, either.
    Nina Derwin, Glamour, 17 Apr. 2025
  • But arguably the most surprising silhouette that emerged as a major trend?
    Shelby Wax, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • According to summary provided by the House speaker’s office, the bill includes financial support for special education, bilingual education and pre-kindergarten and a $395 increase in the base amount schools get per student, known as the basic allotment.
    Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Apr. 2025
  • On the order summary page, paste your promo code into the Discount Code or Gift Card box, and click Apply to see your savings.
    Malia Griggs, Glamour, 15 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • So, how exactly do brands arrive at the perfect shade to define the year ahead?
    Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Non-discrimination practices were defined as interventions like diversity training.
    Janice Gassam Asare, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Over in Louisiana, the contours of the Senate GOP primary are starting to take shape.
    Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 17 Apr. 2025
  • The exact contours of soybean demand in the new economic world that Trump has created remain to be seen.
    Sarah Sax, The Atlantic, 16 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Another group, studying the same data record, sketches a very different scene: a magma‑ocean hellscape, sterilized by heat.
    Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Develop Downside Contingency Plan At this point, business leaders should sketch out contingency plans for their most significant risks.
    Bill Conerly, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Outline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outline. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

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