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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 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
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as in sculpture
a small statue
painted wooden figures by untrained artists can be quite valuable on today's antiques market
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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 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
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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
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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
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as in look
the outward form of someone or something especially as indicative of a quality
unshaven and dirty, he presents a sorry figure
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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
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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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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
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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
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Cite this Entry
“Figure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/figure. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.
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