1
as in plan
a method worked out in advance for achieving some objective
she always achieves her objective by design rather than by luck
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in scheme
a secret plan for accomplishing evil or unlawful ends
the thief had devised an elaborate design to get the invaluable artwork
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in purpose
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish
my design in writing to you is to ask for your support
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
5
as in layout
the way in which the elements of something (as a work of art) are arranged
the design of the building's lobby encourages the free flow of traffic
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to plan
to have in mind as a purpose or goal
early on she had designed to a top position in a major insurance company
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to prepare
to work out the details of (something) in advance
the foreman designed a better layout for the factory floor to improve efficiency
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 design
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 19 May 2025
Since existing neural networks already seemed capable of extracting patterns from data, the team chose not to focus on network design but instead to amass as much training data as possible.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 30 May 2025
When garments and textiles are designed on two separate timelines, Konings said there’s no connection point between the textile engineer and the fashion designer.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for design
Noun
Versace used various size studs to create scrollwork designs down the side of jeans.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 19 May 2025
Since existing neural networks already seemed capable of extracting patterns from data, the team chose not to focus on network design but instead to amass as much training data as possible.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
Verb
Accommodations range from double-occupancy Mountain King and Bunk Rooms to connecting suites designed for families and groups, each with modern features such as workspaces, mini fridges, and wool camp blankets.
—Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 30 May 2025
When garments and textiles are designed on two separate timelines, Konings said there’s no connection point between the textile engineer and the fashion designer.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for design
Recent Examples of Synonyms for design
Noun
-
But Andrea Jenkins, who represents the area and supports the city's plan, said residents around the square want vehicle traffic.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
25 May 2025
-
His evil plan is to conquer the microchip market by creating earthquakes and floods that will destroy most of the San Francisco Bay area.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
24 May 2025
Noun
-
The scheme was investigated by several federal agencies, including the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
-
That includes knowing the scheme in the run game, being violent at the point of attack.—
Dan Wiederer,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2025
Noun
-
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, legal, or cryptocurrency advice.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
-
As new innovations take hold and produce positive results, remember to prune old practices that are no longer working or have outlived their purpose.—
Michael B. Horn,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
Noun
-
The motif of changelings—of fairies taking a human child and leaving a nonhuman child in its place—comes up throughout the story.—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
18 May 2025
-
For 99 years, the criss-cross balcony motif that runs along the Bullens Road Stand has been the symbol of Goodison Park’s enduring charm.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
Noun
-
The high-shine finish is both durable and reflective, bringing a bit of glow to this galley layout.—
Lauren Bengtson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 May 2025
-
Units range from one to four bedrooms with layouts spanning 700 square feet to 3,300 square feet.—
Emma Reynolds,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Verb
-
The move is expected to impact millions of borrowers who haven’t paid their loans for approximately nine months, and the Trump administration intends to garnish a portion of workers’ wages if their loans remain unpaid.—
Alison Durkee,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
-
That arrangement was always intended to be temporary, but for nearly two decades, the details of untangling such massive, important institutions have bedeviled three presidential administrations – including Trump’s first.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
Verb
-
Season 2 Ellie has, at the very least, been doing combat training and has had five years to prepare for an inevitable hunt like this.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
-
The first images from the production reveal the Yash, who leads the ensemble cast alongside Ranbir Kapoor, in peak physical condition, preparing to embody Ravana.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
29 May 2025
Noun
-
Amy Cameron – an executive, writer and producer – and Tassie Cameron, a showrunner and executive producer – founded Cameron Pictures and manage it alongside executive producer Alex Patrick, who leads on strategy and business and legal affairs.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
26 May 2025
-
That’s exactly where many organizations are flying blind, building AI agents without a strategy for how to keep them running, governed and optimized at scale.—
Kolawole Samuel Adebayo,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Design.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/design. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share