out·line
ˈau̇t-ˌlīn 
1
2
a
: a style of drawing in which contours are marked without shading
drew a dog in outline
b
: a sketch in outline
prepared several outlines of the suggested mural
3
a
: a condensed treatment of a particular subject
an outline of world history
b
: a summary of a written work : synopsis
Students were required to give an outline for each assigned paper.
4
: a preliminary account of a project : plan
gave the class an outline of the points he intended to cover
5
: a fishing line set out overnight
outlined; outlining; outlines
1
: to draw the outline of
2
: to indicate the principal features or different parts of
outlined their responsibilities
Synonyms
Examples of outline in a Sentence
Noun
The pictures were drawn in outline and then filled in with color.
The leaves etched into the vase have a gold outline.
Organize your essay by writing an outline in which you state your main idea followed by your supporting points.
a brief outline of American history
Her speech was written in outline on note cards.
Verb
The President outlined his agenda for the next term.
The book outlines the major events of the country's history.
All players must follow the rules outlined above.
Recent Examples on the Web
Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
World & Nation Some Americans will get their student loans canceled in February as Biden accelerates his new plan
Jan. 12, 2024
On Monday the administration released an outline of its plans.
—Jon Healey, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2024
By 2005 there were no real memories of Jerry Nadeau in the sport; the chalk outline had washed away from the pavement.
—Greg Engle, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
As a spring tide rushed out of Baltimore harbor just after midnight on Tuesday, the hulking outlines of a cargo ship nearly three football fields long and stacked high with thousands of containers sliced through frigid waters toward the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
—Thomas Fuller, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Ministry officials expect to present an outline to parliament in coming days, according to people familiar with the matter.
—Bysarah Jacob, Fortune Europe, 27 Mar. 2024
Additionally, clients are entitled to request an outline, unlimited revisions, and plagiarism reports free of charge.
—Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024
My time with the lens certainly reflects that finding—the optical characteristics are identical down to the characteristic outline around defocused highlights that makes for busier backgrounds.
—PCMAG, 28 Mar. 2024
These tools help agencies proactively plan procurements and outline appropriate solution requirements.
—Gisele Waters, IEEE Spectrum, 26 Mar. 2024
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
Now, investors are anxiously waiting for Musk to reassure them that Tesla will be fine in the long term and outline a new growth strategy.
—William Gavin, Quartz, 18 Apr. 2024
But the institute outlined its selection process, which includes multiple stages before selection.
—Herb Scribner, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2024
The bill, which passed through the state Legislature earlier this year, outlined how funding approved in the state's current budget would be spent to improve literacy outcomes for Wisconsin students as part of a larger overhaul of reading in Wisconsin classrooms.
—Journal Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2024
Those records also outlined the range of responses from Iran that the Israeli government expected, among them small-scale attacks by proxies and a small-scale attack from Iran.
—Richard Pérez-Peña, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2024
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has outlined his plans to advance aid for Israel and Ukraine in separate bills, an effort to overcome hard-line conservative opposition that leaves their passage uncertain.
—Daryna Mayer, NBC News, 17 Apr. 2024
After a lengthy investigation into Louisville Metro government and LMPD, the DOJ outlined key findings of infractions in its report released last year.
—Rachel Smith, The Courier-Journal, 15 Apr. 2024
The darker markings shrink their body outlines, and in sunlight underwater, some prey might not recognize the whale as a dangerous predator.
—Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 12 Apr. 2024
Noun
The Russian empire had collapsed, but its outlines could still be seen in the Russian Orthodox religious sphere, which extended beyond Russia’s borders and as far afield as Mount Athos and even Jerusalem.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
World & Nation Some Americans will get their student loans canceled in February as Biden accelerates his new plan
Jan. 12, 2024
On Monday the administration released an outline of its plans.
—Jon Healey, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2024
By 2005 there were no real memories of Jerry Nadeau in the sport; the chalk outline had washed away from the pavement.
—Greg Engle, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
As a spring tide rushed out of Baltimore harbor just after midnight on Tuesday, the hulking outlines of a cargo ship nearly three football fields long and stacked high with thousands of containers sliced through frigid waters toward the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
—Thomas Fuller, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Ministry officials expect to present an outline to parliament in coming days, according to people familiar with the matter.
—Bysarah Jacob, Fortune Europe, 27 Mar. 2024
Additionally, clients are entitled to request an outline, unlimited revisions, and plagiarism reports free of charge.
—Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024
My time with the lens certainly reflects that finding—the optical characteristics are identical down to the characteristic outline around defocused highlights that makes for busier backgrounds.
—PCMAG, 28 Mar. 2024
These tools help agencies proactively plan procurements and outline appropriate solution requirements.
—Gisele Waters, IEEE Spectrum, 26 Mar. 2024
Verb
The Newsom administration also outlined plans in March 2022 to reach a series of voluntary agreements with agricultural water users over water sharing.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
Now, investors are anxiously waiting for Musk to reassure them that Tesla will be fine in the long term and outline a new growth strategy.
—William Gavin, Quartz, 18 Apr. 2024
But the institute outlined its selection process, which includes multiple stages before selection.
—Herb Scribner, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2024
The bill, which passed through the state Legislature earlier this year, outlined how funding approved in the state's current budget would be spent to improve literacy outcomes for Wisconsin students as part of a larger overhaul of reading in Wisconsin classrooms.
—Journal Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2024
Those records also outlined the range of responses from Iran that the Israeli government expected, among them small-scale attacks by proxies and a small-scale attack from Iran.
—Richard Pérez-Peña, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2024
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has outlined his plans to advance aid for Israel and Ukraine in separate bills, an effort to overcome hard-line conservative opposition that leaves their passage uncertain.
—Daryna Mayer, NBC News, 17 Apr. 2024
After a lengthy investigation into Louisville Metro government and LMPD, the DOJ outlined key findings of infractions in its report released last year.
—Rachel Smith, The Courier-Journal, 15 Apr. 2024
The darker markings shrink their body outlines, and in sunlight underwater, some prey might not recognize the whale as a dangerous predator.
—Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 12 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'outline.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near outline
Cite this Entry
“Outline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outline. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
outline
1 of 2 noun
out·line
ˈau̇t-ˌlīn
1
: a line that traces or forms the outer limits of an object or figure and shows its shape
2
a
: a drawing or picture giving only the outlines of something
b
: this method of drawing
3
a
: a brief summary or plan often in numbered divisions
b
: a brief treatment of a subject
an outline of world history
outline
2 of 2 verb1
: to draw or trace the outline of
2
: to indicate the main features or parts of
outlined our responsibilities
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