as in outline
a line that traces the outer limits of an object or surface
cartoonists often try to give their characters recognizable silhouettes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to trace
to draw or make apparent the outline of
in the photograph the majestic mountain is strikingly silhouetted against the setting sun
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 silhouette
Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2026
Louboutin’s signature red outsole finished the silhouette, which retails for $2,195.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 9 Feb. 2026
Hazlitt, 8 Oct. 2025
The light changes but my eye drifts up to the towers of Downtown Brooklyn silhouetted by the afternoon sun.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for silhouette
Noun
Vionic Uptown Skimmer Knit Slip-on Another convenient slip-on style, but in a lighter, more flexible silhouette, the Vionic Uptown Skimmer Knit Slip-ons are designed to withstand everyday wear without the bulk.
—Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2026
Louboutin’s signature red outsole finished the silhouette, which retails for $2,195.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
The wind is tossing the leaves about under the branches, and their dark shapes are silhouetted against the snow like bats.
—Hazlitt, 8 Oct. 2025
The light changes but my eye drifts up to the towers of Downtown Brooklyn silhouetted by the afternoon sun.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for silhouette
Recent Examples of Synonyms for silhouette
Noun
-
The film vaguely follows the basic outline of the first half of the novel, heavily streamlining the twisted tale of family strife and generational trauma into a more conventional tragic romance centered squarely on Catherine and Heathcliff.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
-
For now, the tax agency advises taxpayers to rely on its outline for the rules when filing their returns this year.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Ireland, the Steelers and the Rooney connection The Rooney family, the Steelers’ majority owners, trace their roots to Ireland, where their ancestors emigrated from in the 1840s before eventually settling in Pittsburgh.—
Tom Chitty,
CNBC,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Though the holiday’s origins trace back to ancient China, it’s now celebrated across East and Southeast Asia and abroad.—
Phoebe Fry,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
To do the job well, historical novelists must learn about the conventions of an era, the social and political tensions of the time even if these are only used to sketch out the background.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Feb. 2026
-
As it’s currently sketched out, the city would help Habitat cover the upfront cost of a home, but the home would never be owned by the city.—
Mars King,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
What makes the current moment so striking is that the drift now appears to be reversing, cautiously and without the overexuberance that defined the post-WTO era.—
Dewardric L. McNeal,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Yet the defining challenges of our era do not respect borders.—
Alan H.H. Fleischmann,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Silhouette.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/silhouette. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
