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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
To qualify for special education services, students must fall into one of 13 categories of disability outlined in IDEA. Silas Allen, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2025 Officers also found text messages between Fox and the victims outlining their plan to meet so Fox could buy lean from them, prosecutors said. Samantha Moilanen, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025
Noun
Lollapalooza, for its first several years, resembled a rough outline of a social movement. Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025 The project comprised conservative organizations and Trump allies and featured a 900-page outline on a wide range of policies for the potential second Trump administration. Jared Gans, The Hill, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for outline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outline
Verb
  • What To Know Authorities traced the funds to three cryptocurrency wallet addresses, after the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio filed a civil forfeiture complaint in February highlighting the scam.
    Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The film traces the mothers’ effort leading up to the school’s 2023 opening.
    Abigail Lee, Variety, 1 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • But to summarize, he was born in San Benito, Texas — not far from Brownsville and the Mexico border town of Matamoros — and raised by his mother in a nearby trailer park.
    Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 1 Apr. 2025
  • According to Dewey's Instagram Stories summarizing the fatal incident, the toddler was playing with a suction cup bowl by sticking it onto a mirror and pulling it back and forth.
    Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Clean lines, streamlined silhouettes, and restrained details result in impactful simplicity, which is exactly what a minimalist bride aspires for.
    Sarah Zendejas, Vogue, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Its turban-style silhouette features a subtle front twist and elastic at the back for a secure, comfortable fit, perfect for curly and thick textures, but may wear looser for those with finer hair.
    Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 5 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Write your summary like a human, not a corporation.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
  • The subtleties of Baer’s composition in relationship to the flanks defy easy summary.
    Sarah K. Rich, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • As usual, there are trendy bikinis and swimsuits that always ask for space in our closet, little tops meant to save us from the rising temperatures, and the kind of light floral dresses and skirts that define the season.
    Marilú Almaguer, Glamour, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Wall Street defines a correction as a drop of 10% from a recent high.
    Yun Li, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The wave that inspired this project is that of the Adriatic, characterized by a fluid, continuous motion shaped by the contours of the seabed.
    Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Its curved head glides easily over the contours of the face, helping your serums, lotions and creams absorb more easily.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • But everything Common Side Effects sketches around that mushroom, from evil corporate board members to complicit government officials to absurdist pharmaceutical ads, feels not just possible but probable.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Researchers around the world spotted an unusual oscillating sine wave sketched across seismographs.
    Darren Orf, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Outline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outline. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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