design
Americanverb (used with object)
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to prepare the preliminary sketch or the plans for (a work to be executed), especially to plan the form and structure of.
to design a new bridge.
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to plan and fashion artistically or skillfully.
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to intend for a definite purpose.
a scholarship designed for foreign students.
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to form or conceive in the mind; contrive; plan.
The prisoner designed an intricate escape.
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to assign in thought or intention; purpose.
He designed to be a doctor.
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Obsolete. to mark out, as by a sign; indicate.
verb (used without object)
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to make drawings, preliminary sketches, or plans.
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to plan and fashion the form and structure of an object, work of art, decorative scheme, etc.
noun
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an outline, sketch, or plan, as of the form and structure of a work of art, an edifice, or a machine to be executed or constructed.
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organization or structure of formal elements in a work of art; composition.
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the combination of details or features of a picture, building, etc.; the pattern or motif of artistic work.
the design on a bracelet.
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the art of designing.
a school of design.
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a plan or project.
a design for a new process.
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a plot or intrigue, especially an underhand, deceitful, or treacherous one.
His political rivals formulated a design to unseat him.
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designs, a hostile or aggressive project or scheme having evil or selfish motives.
He had designs on his partner's stock.
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intention; purpose; end.
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adaptation of means to a preconceived end.
verb
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to work out the structure or form of (something), as by making a sketch, outline, pattern, or plans
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to plan and make (something) artistically or skilfully
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(tr) to form or conceive in the mind; invent
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(tr) to intend, as for a specific purpose; plan
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obsolete (tr) to mark out or designate
noun
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a plan, sketch, or preliminary drawing
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the arrangement or pattern of elements or features of an artistic or decorative work
the design of the desk is Chippendale
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a finished artistic or decorative creation
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the art of designing
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a plan, scheme, or project
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an end aimed at or planned for; intention; purpose
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(often plural; often foll by on or against) a plot or hostile scheme, often to gain possession of (something) by illegitimate means
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a coherent or purposeful pattern, as opposed to chaos
God's design appears in nature
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philosophy another name for teleological argument
Usage
What is a basic definition of design? Design means to create a plan or sketch of something that is going to be made later, especially a plan that details what the finished thing will do and look like. A design is the plan or sketch created as a result of this activity. Design also means to intend something for a specific purpose. Design has several other senses as a verb and a noun. Design means to sketch something out and draw up a plan of how the finished project will look and function. For example, the government will have a team design a new bridge before actually building it. This means that someone will draw a sketch of what they want the bridge to look like and determine how much weight they want the bridge to hold. The people who actually build the bridge will consult this plan to guide them in the construction. A person who makes these preliminary sketches is called a designer. Real-life examples: Architects design new buildings. Mattel and Hasbro design new toys. Microsoft and Apple frequently design new computers and gadgets. Used in a sentence: The engineer designed a new type of airplane wing. A design is the actual sketch or drawing that a person who is designing something creates. On the internet, you can find some early and original designs of many popular products we use today. Often, these early designs are quite different from the final product. Used in a sentence: The scientists were working on a design for a new type of spacecraft. Design also means to intend something for a specific purpose. Real-life examples: Hats are designed to be worn on the head. A lawnmower is designed to cut grass. Cars are not designed for driving underwater. Used in a sentence: The ad campaign was designed to attract more teenage fans.
Related Words
Other Word Forms
- designable adjective
- outdesign verb (used with object)
- overdesign verb
- predesign verb (used with object)
- redesign verb
- self-design noun
- underdesign verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of design
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English designen, from Latin dēsignāre “to mark out”; de-, sign
Explanation
To design is to conceive, create, sketch out, or invent something. An architect might design a new apartment building, and an inventor might design a new smart phone. Charles Eames, famous designer of fancy modern chairs, said "Design is a plan for arranging elements in such a way as best to accomplish a particular purpose." That's a broad definition, but then again, design is a broad field. School kids design book report posters, engineers design bridges, and politicians design arguments against their opponents. If you really want to explore design, take some time to examine the expert layout of a Picasso painting.
Vocabulary lists containing design
Engineering - Introductory
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Academy Awards, List 5
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"Kids Are Inventors, Too"
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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.
Demonstrating familiarity with the tools required for things like programming, graphic design and data-management is no longer enough when AI is able to take on those sorts of tasks.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 11, 2026
The publication noted that Bignell, a three-decade veteran of the company, had helped design some of Nike’s more innovative running sneakers, such as the Vomero Premium.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026
GE Aerospace has implemented AI tools for design, monitoring, inspection, and worker productivity.
From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026
Blue Origin's Blue Moon is at least eight months late, with nearly half the issues flagged at a 2024 design review still unresolved more than a year later.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026
Fiercely, she scrubbed out her alpana design until no traces of the rice powder remained on the threshold.
From "Rickshaw Girl" by Mitali Perkins
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.
