Synonyms

diagram

American

[dahy-uh-gram] / ˈdaɪ əˌgræm /

noun

a figure, usually consisting of a line drawing, made to accompany and illustrate a geometrical theorem, mathematical demonstration, etc.
a drawing or plan that outlines and explains the parts, operation, etc., of something.

a diagram of an engine.
a chart, plan, or scheme.

verb (used with object)

to represent by a diagram; make a diagram of.

diagram British

/ ˌdaɪəɡrəˈmætɪk, ˈdaɪəˌɡræm /

noun

a sketch, outline, or plan demonstrating the form or workings of something
maths a pictorial representation of a quantity or of a relationship

a Venn diagram

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

to show in or as if in a diagram

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

diagrams

plural

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of diagram

1610–20; < Latin diagramma < Greek: that which is marked out by lines. See dia-, -gram ¹

Explanation

A diagram is a drawing that shows the different parts of something and how they work together. If you follow a diagram for assembling bunk beds and finish with parts left over, you should ask for the top bunk, not the bottom one. Diagram goes back to the Greek verb diagraphein, meaning "to mark out by lines," and a diagram uses line drawings to explain something. Electronic equipment comes with a long instruction booklet and a one-page diagram, and it's usually the diagram that helps most in connecting the device. A diagram can also be a complex drawing, like an engineering plan for airplanes. When you make a line drawing of your own, you can use diagram as a verb, as when you diagram a sentence.

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Vocabulary lists containing diagram

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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.

Contrary to popular legend, the diagram was not sketched on a napkin by Walt Disney himself, but rather by a Disney studio artist who created it for the story.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026

The team also mapped out how these exotic states form, revealing a precise structure in the system's topological phase diagram.

From Science Daily • May 4, 2026

The diagram shows the basis of the 18% figure, as well as one showing 46% chunk of jobs will see less immediate change:

From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026

“I discovered puppetry around the same time, because it’s sort of the center of that Venn diagram of crafts, fine arts, engineering and acting,” he says.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

“Then,” said Mrs. Baker, “we wouldn’t have to diagram any sentences for the rest of the afternoon.”

From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023