figures 1 of 2

Definition of figuresnext
plural of figure

figures

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of figure
1
2
as in estimates
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
4

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 figures
Noun
The meeting between the two dignitaries will won’t include a livestreamed news conference like those the president has hosted with other international figures. Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026 The large monetary figures Ingoglia unveiled during each news conference came from analyses conducted by the state’s Department of Governmental Efficiency team, or DOGE, which had requested budget information from and visited many municipalities across the state. Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026 Former Lakers assistant coach Damon Jones became the first among 34 defendants to plead guilty Tuesday in an expansive gambling indictment that also ensnared Hall of Fame player Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat star Terry Rozier and organized crime figures. Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026 Even households making six figures are struggling to afford child care, rent, groceries, health insurance, summer camp, and student-loan debt. Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026 Athletic themes and local sports figures are brought into the museum space, creating an entry point that feels familiar while still highlighting art in thoughtful ways. Taylor Haught, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026 At best, other ambitious figures like Rubio and David McCormick, the junior senator from Pennsylvania, appear ready to jump in if Vance doesn’t. Ben Smith, semafor.com, 28 Apr. 2026 Both figures are a far cry from the mid-to-upper teens full-year operating margin that Starbucks routinely delivered before the pandemic. Paulina Likos, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026 Giordano’s figures differed slightly. Josh Davis, Baltimore Sun, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
Aptly enough, Hall figures Manning’s old office was right about where the new center field will be. Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2026 That figures to be addressed not only in the sixth round, but also with remaining available free agents and undrafted free agency. Charlotte Carroll, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026 DeGourville figures to be an interesting fit in coach Fred Hoiberg’s five-out offensive system that relies on 3s and drives off closeouts. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026 Jackson now figures to slide into a more traditional shooting guard role thanks to the Johnnies’ addition this offseason of European point guard Quinn Ellis. Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026 This isn’t the end of coaching for Donovan, 60, who figures to be a top candidate for openings around the NBA. Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026 Head coach Kevin O'Connell figures to have a hand in the proceedings, as well. Anthony Bettin, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026 The offensive line again figures to be a strength for UCD. Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 20 Apr. 2026 The intrusion of experienced mainstream reporters there figures to be a short-lived. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for figures
Noun
  • And that's when their calculations revealed that these animals were probably gargantuan — well larger than the giant Pacific octopus, today's biggest member of the family whose arm span often exceeds 13 feet.
    Ari Daniel, NPR, 24 Apr. 2026
  • The team evaluated the size of the ancient octopuses using allometric calculation—a method that used the proportional growth rates of modern, long-bodied finned octopuses to extrapolate the size of their extinct relatives.
    Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Rolder chooses the right sport Detroit’s fourth-round selection, Jimmy Rolder, was faced with a tough decision in college between baseball and football.
    Bob Tripi, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Rolder chooses the right sport Detroit's fourth-round selection, Jimmy Rolder, was faced with a tough decision in college between baseball and football.
    CBS News, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The Congressional Budget Office estimates a nearly $300 billion shortfall in the HTF over the next 10 years, with the fund becoming insolvent starting in 2028.
    Andrew Stasiowski, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Hochul estimates that about 13,000 non-primary homes in New York City valued at $5 million or more will be subject to the tax.
    Robert Frank, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The April data comes on the heels of a March that had the third-worst drought conditions in over 130 years of records, based on another way the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration calculates long-term dryness across the continental US.
    CNN.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026
  • The April data comes on the heels of a March that had the third-worst drought conditions in over 130 years of records, based on another way the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration calculates long-term dryness across the continental US.
    Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • One thinks of the citizens of Buffy’s Sunnydale, blithely going about their business, not moving away despite being located on a Hellmouth.
    Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
  • But Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG, thinks the Fed should formally change its policy stance.
    Steve Liesman, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Zevik Glidai, a 78-year-old math teacher and volunteer ambulance driver, discovered coils of the translucent fiber-optic cables surrounding a drone that crashed into his backyard in the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona on April 13.
    ABC News, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Burton brought in a stethoscope, a scale, and a thermometer so that children could use the numbers for a math activity and demystify doctors’ visits.
    Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Whatever the team decides, Lomu sounds happy to oblige.
    Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
  • If two of the richest companies in the world are racing to control the sky, who decides how that access is priced and delivered?
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • That means if a gig worker or their employer computes a tip amount and requires customers to pay it, that tip isn’t tax-deductible.
    Annette Nellen, The Conversation, 6 Apr. 2026
  • During training, each GPU computes a mathematical operation called a gradient on its own batch of data.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 10 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Figures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/figures. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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