Thesaurus results for CONTOUR

Q: How does the noun 'contour' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of contour are outline , profile , and silhouette . While all these words mean "the line that bounds and gives form to something," contour stresses the quality of an outline or a bounding surface as being smooth, jagged, curving, or sharply angled. // a car with flowing contours

Q: In what contexts can 'outline' take the place of 'contour'?

The meanings of outline and contour largely overlap; however, outline applies to a line marking the outer limits or edges of a body or mass. // traced the outline of his hand

Q: When might 'profile' be a better fit than 'contour'?

Although the words profile and contour have much in common, profile suggests a varied and sharply defined outline against a lighter background. // a portrait of her face in profile

Q: Where would 'silhouette' be a reasonable alternative to 'contour'?

The words silhouette and contour are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, silhouette suggests a shape especially of a head or figure with all detail blacked out in shadow leaving only the outline clearly defined. // photograph in silhouette against a bright sky

contour

noun

ˈkän-ˌtu̇r

Definition of contour next

as in outline

a line that traces the outer limits of an object or surface a car with flowing contours

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the noun contour differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of contour are outline, profile, and silhouette. While all these words mean "the line that bounds and gives form to something," contour stresses the quality of an outline or a bounding surface as being smooth, jagged, curving, or sharply angled.

a car with flowing contours

In what contexts can outline take the place of contour?

The meanings of outline and contour largely overlap; however, outline applies to a line marking the outer limits or edges of a body or mass.

traced the outline of his hand

When might profile be a better fit than contour?

Although the words profile and contour have much in common, profile suggests a varied and sharply defined outline against a lighter background.

a portrait of her face in profile

Where would silhouette be a reasonable alternative to contour?

The words silhouette and contour are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, silhouette suggests a shape especially of a head or figure with all detail blacked out in shadow leaving only the outline clearly defined.

photograph in silhouette against a bright sky

Examples 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 contour An extra help is lip pencil, which can be useful to outline the contour of the mouth and avoid smudging. —

Beatrice Zocchi, Vogue, 28 Oct. 2024 Her hair, styled by Clara Leonard, was parted down the middle, pulled back and softly bumped out, complementing the dress’ contours. —

Nick Hall, WWD, 25 Oct. 2024 With a blush-bronzer duo, makeup enthusiasts can skip the extra steps of applying copious amounts of base layers contour, powders, eyeshadow, and even lip product in the case of Rhode’s Toased Teddy. —

Tanya Akim, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024 Plus, its memory foam and contour layers offer nice softness and cushion to support a variety of sleep positions. —

Renee Cherry, SELF, 26 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for contour