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as in digit
a character used to represent a mathematical value no doubt the figures on the price tags at the jewelry store are so small because the zeroes are so many

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as in outline
a line that traces the outer limits of an object or surface we could gradually see the figure of a ship coming our way through the fog

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as in doll
a small statue painted wooden figures by untrained artists can be quite valuable on today's antiques market

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as in mannequin
a three-dimensional representation of the human body used especially for displaying clothes the museum features a collection of figures strikingly attired in suits of medieval armor

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as in motif
a unit of decoration that is repeated all over something (as a fabric) upholstered the chair with a fabric embossed with figures of fleur-de-lis

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as in diagram
something that visually explains or decorates a text the layout editor could have done a better job of getting the figures on the same page as the specific portion of text that they are intended to illustrate

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as in physique
the type of body that a person has Martha has such a slender figure that just about anything looks good on her

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figure

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verb

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as in to estimate
to decide the size, amount, number, or distance of (something) without actual measurement let's figure the juice in the pan to be about a cup and just add it to the mix

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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 figure
Noun
On the wall behind her, Gauguin has painted glyphs like those discovered on Easter Island, and a masked female figure, ferocious and bare-breasted. Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 11 July 2025 Gallen, trending upward in his last two starts, figures to draw more interest than Kelly. Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Verb
In the Icon Park attraction’s Justice League: A Call for Heroes zone, there are life-size photo ops with Wonder Woman, Flash, Cyborg and Aquaman figures. Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 July 2025 So Bryant figured going back to the HotelPlanner Tour — where the top 20 players at the end of the season get DP World Tour cards for ’26 — would be his best bet. Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 9 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for figure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for figure
Noun
  • The Giants led 8-2 heading into the sixth inning with Webb on the mound, which is typically the kind of win probability that comes in three digits instead of two.
    Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 12 July 2025
  • Walker rejected the committees’ effort to block that part of the law and turned down a request to block a requirement that petition gatherers register with the state and provide their names, addresses, phone numbers and the last four digits of Social Security numbers.
    Dara Kam, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 July 2025
Noun
  • Items from China face a minimum tariff of thirty per cent, and that rate will surely go higher if the two sides can’t finalize a trade deal, the outlines of which were seemingly agreed upon in May.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
  • Last night provided at least a skeleton of an outline of what that looks like.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
    Angelina Liu, People.com, 14 July 2025
  • The series takes a group of celebrities to the Bahamas – the shark capital of the world – and tasks them with diving with a different species of shark, with the breeds getting bigger and more dangerous each time.
    Peter White, Deadline, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • Surrounded by photography books, four American Girl dolls regarded us from an alcove.
    Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
  • Mattel recently debuted a doll that is dressed in a playful blue polka-dot outfit, sporting a matching pastel purse and, most notably, wearing a continuous glucose monitor on her arm and an insulin pump clipped to her waist.
    Maggie McGrath, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • There are mannequins with giant tennis balls for heads in Mary’s Living & Giving charity shop; Italian food shop Vallebona has pillars made out of tennis balls topped by cheese wheels.
    Caoimhe O'Neill, New York Times, 10 July 2025
  • Resting in the corner of her apartment across from her full-length mirror, Bellew's mannequin is the upper half and waist of a woman's body.
    Katie Hill, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 July 2025
Noun
  • The lounge area gets a stylish refresh, with the House’s iconic Web and Interlocking G motifs splashed in a breezy, seasonal palette.
    Erica Wertheim Zohar, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • Related: The Newest Hotel in Osaka, Japan, Is in One of the City's Most Impressive Buildings, With an On-site Onsen and an 11-acre Park Next Door There are subtle peacock-tail motifs throughout the hotel, from the kumiko woodwork headboards to the washi paper in the elevator.
    Amber Gibson, Travel + Leisure, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • This is all the more surprising given that each diagram is highly particular, practically sui generis.
    Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
  • On it, scrawled terminology and diagrams of plays mark the signature of an offensive wizard in his comfort zone.
    Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • That's part of the reason, combined with a front-loading of imports by companies, why prices have been slow to rise.
    Alain Sherter, CBS News, 14 July 2025
  • And make no mistake: Corn prices hold a lot of sway over ADM stock, since the company is a major player in commodity trading.
    Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Figure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/figure. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

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