1
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in celebrity
a person who is widely known and usually much talked about
figures from the worlds of sport and entertainment will be guests at the White House dinner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in sculpture
a small statue
painted wooden figures by untrained artists can be quite valuable on today's antiques market
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
6
7
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
8
as in price
the amount of money that is demanded as payment for something
a number of the paintings at the auction sold at figures far higher than had been estimated
Synonyms & Similar Words
9
as in shape
the outward appearance of something as distinguished from its substance
the ice sculpture at the banquet was in the figure of an eagle spreading its wings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
10
11
as in calculation
figures plural
the act or process of performing mathematical operations to find a value
a person with a good head for figures
Synonyms & Similar Words
12
as in look
the outward form of someone or something especially as indicative of a quality
unshaven and dirty, he presents a sorry figure
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to decide
to come to a judgment about after discussion or consideration
we figured that we had better arrive early at the concert in order to get good seats
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to calculate
to determine (a value) by doing the necessary mathematical operations
the car dealer figured that our monthly car payment would be $357
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to think
to have as an opinion
the father figures that girls should have the same athletic opportunities as boys and supports his daughter's interest in soccer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 26 Apr. 2026
In the Bible the Antichrist is a figure prophesied to oppose Jesus Christ and substitute himself as a false savior before the Second Coming.
—Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 26 Apr. 2026
Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
Strider is due back in May and Schwellenbach and Waldrep in June so as the season goes along the Braves figure to only get better.
—Bill Madden, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for figure
Noun
Years later, Burnett herself would rise to become one of television's most beloved figures, thanks in large part to The Carol Burnett Show.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 26 Apr. 2026
In the Bible the Antichrist is a figure prophesied to oppose Jesus Christ and substitute himself as a false savior before the Second Coming.
—Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
Not many people in Pit Bull Stadium figured Lake Mary was going to leave Miami with the Class 7A state championship trophy when Vero Beach went into victory formation last December.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
Strider is due back in May and Schwellenbach and Waldrep in June so as the season goes along the Braves figure to only get better.
—Bill Madden, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for figure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for figure
Noun
-
In the document made public Wednesday, Silverman alleged Burke cut off those digits to remove evidence of a tattoo Hernandez had gotten of the singer’s name.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Entering this season, four of Morejón’s 2,061 career fastballs had reached triple digits.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Set the scene The faint outline of distant mountains shapes a far-off horizon, where the spluttering of racing 4x4s belongs to another world.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Herd is currently laying out the outline of the flag on the ground.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Rebecca Morin The White House Correspondents Association, a nonprofit member organization of journalists who cover the presidency, hosts an annual dinner each year that brings together members of the press, lawmakers and celebrities.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
-
And just as celebrity hairstylist SherriAnn Cole recently advised in Vogue, Clarke resisted the common urge to match her brows to her new blonde hair.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Also with a local connection are a ceramic sculpture by John Mason, a onetime Pomona College art instructor, and two paintings by Alfredo Ramos Martinez, muralist at Scripps College.—
David Allen,
Daily News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The most recent event, an outdoor sculpture exhibition entitled the Garden of Encounters, curated by Rumi’s Artistic Director Samy Snoussi for the 1-54 Art Fair, was a resounding success, attracting nearly 400 guests.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The queen will gift a new Roo doll to the New York Public Library’s famous Winnie the Pooh collection as the character marks 100 years since its creation.—
Philip Marcelo,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The leader of the rebellion chatted with young kids carrying Princess Leia dolls and wearing Boba Fett masks.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Fruit motifs are a bright and cheerful way to add a little retro charm to a tablescape or bar cart.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Dragons, representing sacred authority, were a motif also reserved just for the ruling classes.—
Lori Waxman,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In these plans, recalled Douglas Vakoch, president of Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence (METI) International in San Francisco, huge diagrams would be etched on large expanses of land here on Earth.—
Leonard David,
Space.com,
23 Apr. 2026
-
An exhibition curated by Barry Bergdoll and Martin Bressani at the Bard Graduate Center links those three eras, giving a central place to Viollet-le-Duc’s lifelong fascination with moody renderings, exploded perspectives, meticulous elevations, and analytical diagrams.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Nowadays, old-school residents bemoan the neighborhood’s evolution from grungy to grandiose; what was once a warren of hedonism has become a breeding ground for characterless watering holes whose lack of personality is bested only by the exorbitance of their beer prices.—
Dan Stahl,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
-
Ken Foster, a professor of agricultural economics at Purdue University, said there is typically a 3- to 6-month lag between an energy price shock and an increase in retail food prices.—
Mae Anderson,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Figure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/figure. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
