Figure
Figure noun - A line that traces the outer limits of an object or surface.
Usage example: we could gradually see the figure of a ship coming our way through the fog
Outline is a synonym for figure in appearance topic. In some cases you can use "Outline" instead the word "Figure" as a noun or a verb, when it comes to topics like form, art, silhouette.
Outline
Outline noun - A line that traces the outer limits of an object or surface.
Usage example: place your hand on the paper and draw an outline around it
Figure is a synonym for outline in appearance topic. You can use "Figure" instead the word "Outline" as a noun or a verb, if it concerns topics such as form, art, shape, silhouette.
Mutual synonyms
How words are described
| human | human figure | human outline |
| good | good figure | good outline |
| nice | nice figure | nice outline |
| similar | similar figure | similar outline |
| Other adjectives: perfect, original, popular, real, ghostly, big, shadowy, blue, black, dark, white, menacing, giant. | ||
Common collocations
| development | figure development | outline development |
Both words in one sentence
- Expy: Some movies depicting a historical figure will stick close to the outline but change the names for legal and artistic reasons.
Source: Biopic -
This trope also used to helps you figure out how to avoid damage - if an enemy gets a glowing outline around their body, the upcoming attack cannot be parried and you'll have to dodge.
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A lot of the appeal is that they just outline the figure (why "sweater puppies" is a nickname for a shapely chest) while barely actually showing anything.
Source: Sweater Girl
Cite this Source
Outline and Figure. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/figure/outline
Figure & Outline. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/figure/outline>.
Outline or Figure. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/figure/outline.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "figure" and "outline" have occurred on timeline