adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of designing
Explanation
The adjective designing describes those who secretly scheme to get what they want, even if it means cheating others, like the designing group member who tricks everyone else into doing all the work for their shared project. You might incorrectly assume designing means "creative," in the sense of a fashion designer, but instead of beautiful clothing, the designing person dreams only of his or her own best interests — before anyone else's. Someone who’s designing plans ahead to make sure things go his way, even if it means lying or making other people look bad. A good synonym for designing is scheming.
Vocabulary lists containing designing
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Dozens of firms are designing smaller reactors and a handful have begun construction, but none yet operate commercially in the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
During the ‘60s and ‘70s, she took on a series of part-time jobs to provide for her children, designing costumes at a cultural center and teaching at area art schools.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
However, she added that making it the default option "risks locking in higher energy consumption" and that the priority should be designing homes that "remain comfortable for as much of the year as possible".
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
“We never really had the time to focus on designing the house properly before. We just kept having kids and working,” he explained.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
It is as if a building he’d been responsible for designing has collapsed for all to see.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
