figure

American  

[fig-yer, fig-er] / ˈfɪg jər, ˈfɪg ər /

noun

• figures
  plural

1. a numerical symbol, especially an Arabic numeral.

   Synonyms:

   number

2. an amount or value expressed in numbers.

   Synonyms:

   price, total, sum

3. figures, the use of numbers in calculating; arithmetic.

   to be poor at figures.

4. a written symbol other than a letter.

5. form or shape, as determined by outlines or exterior surfaces.

   to be round, square, or cubical in figure.

6. the bodily form or frame.

   a slender or graceful figure.

7. an individual bodily form or a person with reference to form or appearance.

   A tall figure stood in the doorway.

8. a character or personage, especially one of distinction.

   a well-known figure in society.

   Synonyms:

   personality

9. a person's public image or presence.

   a controversial political figure.

10. the appearance or impression made by a person or sometimes a thing.

    to make quite a figure in financial circles; to present a wretched figure of poverty.

11. a representation, pictorial or sculptured, especially of the human form.

    The frieze was bordered with the figures of men and animals.

12. an instructive or illustrative drawing or diagram, as found in a book or an owner’s manual.

    To attach the wheels to the base of the cabinet, see figure 4.

13. an emblem, type, or symbol.

    The dove is a figure of peace.

14. Rhetoric. a figure of speech.

15. a textural pattern, as in cloth or wood.

    draperies with an embossed silk figure.

16. a distinct movement or division of a dance.

17. a movement, pattern, or series of movements in skating.

18. Music. a short succession of musical notes, as either a melody or a group of chords, that produces a single complete and distinct impression.

19. Geometry. a combination of geometric elements disposed in a particular form or shape.

    The circle, square, and polygon are plane figures. The sphere, cube, and polyhedron are solid figures.

20. Logic. the form of a categorical syllogism with respect to the relative position of the middle term.

21. Optics. the precise curve required on the surface of an optical element, especially the mirror or correcting plate of a reflecting telescope.

22. the natural pattern on a sawed wood surface produced by the intersection of knots, burls, growth rings, etc.

23. a phantasm or illusion.

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verb (used with object)

• figures,
  present (3rd person singular)
• figured,
  past participle,  past
• figuring
  present participle

1. to compute or calculate (often followed byup ).

   to figure up a total.

   Synonyms:

   reckon

2. to express in figures.

3. to mark or adorn with a design or pattern.

4. to portray by speech or action.

5. to represent or express by a figure of speech.

6. to represent by a pictorial or sculptured figure, a diagram, or the like; picture or depict; trace (an outline, silhouette, etc.).

7. Informal. to conclude, judge, reason, or think about.

   I figured that you wanted me to stay.

8. Music.

   1. to embellish with passing notes or other decorations.

   2. to write figures above or below (a bass part) to indicate accompanying chords.

verb (used without object)

• figures,
  present (3rd person singular)
• figured,
  past participle,  past
• figuring
  present participle

1. to compute or work with numerical figures.

2. to be or appear, especially in a conspicuous or prominent way.

   His name figures importantly in my report.

3. Informal. (of a situation, act, request, etc.) to be logical, expected, or reasonable.

   He quit the job when he didn't get a raise—it figured.

verb phrase

1. figure out

   1. to understand; solve.

      We couldn't figure out where all the money had gone.

   2. to calculate; compute.

2. figure on

   1. to count or rely on.

   2. to take into consideration; plan on.

      You had better figure on running into heavy traffic leaving the city.

3. figure up to total.

   The bill figures up to exactly $1000.

4. figure in to add in.

   Figure in rent and utilities as overhead.

idioms

1. cut a figure. cut.

figure British  

/ ˈfɪɡə, ˈfɪɡjər /

noun

1. any written symbol other than a letter, esp a whole number

2. another name for digit

3. an amount expressed numerically

   a figure of 1800 was suggested

4. (plural) calculations with numbers

   he's good at figures

5. visible shape or form; outline

6. the human form, esp as regards size or shape

   a girl with a slender figure

7. a slim bodily shape (esp in the phrases keep or lose one's figure )

8. a character or personage, esp a prominent or notable one; personality

   a figure in politics

9. the impression created by a person through behaviour (esp in the phrase to cut a fine, bold, etc, figure )

10. 1. a person as impressed on the mind

       the figure of Napoleon

    2. ( in combination )

       father-figure

11. a representation in painting or sculpture, esp of the human form

12. an illustration or explanatory diagram in a text

13. a representative object or symbol; emblem

14. a pattern or design, as on fabric or in wood

15. a predetermined set of movements in dancing or skating

16. geometry any combination of points, lines, curves, or planes. A plane figure , such as a circle, encloses an area; a solid figure such as a sphere, encloses a volume

17. rhetoric See figure of speech

18. logic one of the four possible arrangements of the three terms in the premises of a syllogism Compare mood 2

19. music

    1. a numeral written above or below a note in a part See figured bass thorough bass

    2. a characteristic short pattern of notes

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verb

1. to calculate or compute (sums, amounts, etc)

2. informal (tr; usually takes a clause as object) to think or conclude; consider

3. (tr) to represent by a diagram or illustration

4. (tr) to pattern or mark with a design

5. (tr) to depict or portray in a painting, etc

6. (tr) rhetoric to express by means of a figure of speech

7. (tr) to imagine

8. (tr) music

   1. to decorate (a melody line or part) with ornamentation

   2. to provide figures above or below (a bass part) as an indication of the accompanying harmonies required See figured bass thorough bass

9. to be included

   his name figures in the article

10. informal (intr) to accord with expectation; be logical

    it figures that he wouldn't come

11. informal an expression of surprise, astonishment, wonder, etc

figure More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing figure

• ballpark figure
• in round numbers (figures)
• it figures

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Synonym Usage

See form.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• figurer
  noun
• subfigure
  noun
• outfigure
  verb (used with object)
• refigure
  verb (used with object)
• figurable
  adjective
• figureless
  adjective
• unfigurable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• figures
  plural

Participles

• figuring
  present
• figured
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• figure
  simple
• figures
  simple
• have figured
  perfect
• has figured
  perfect
• am figuring
  progressive
• are figuring
  progressive
• is figuring
  progressive
• have been figuring
  perfect progressive
• has been figuring
  perfect progressive

Past

• figured
  simple
• had figured
  perfect
• was figuring
  progressive
• were figuring
  progressive
• had been figuring
  perfect progressive

Future

• will figure
  simple
• will have figured
  perfect
• will be figuring
  progressive
• will have been figuring
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of figure

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin figūra “shape, trope,” equivalent to fig- (base of fingere “to shape”) + -ūra -ure

Explanation

Anything with form has a certain shape, or figure, but we most often use the word to suggest a human’s form. That's why all those dolls are called "action figures" — they have the physical shape of people. In a broad sense, the noun figure can be used to suggest anything with a physical presence. In technical writings, pictures representing some concept are usually labeled as figures. A physically attractive woman is said to have a nice figure. We also say that a prominent person is a well-known figure. The word also can refer to a number, as in "a dollar figure." As a verb, the word suggests deciphering, as when you figure something out. Go figure.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

figure figures figured figuring

In the closing moments of our interview, Earl Spencer revealed himself not to be a public figure trying to settle old scores or correct myths about his incredibly famous sister.

From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026

“Even though this is the AI economy,” Stovall said, we “have yet to figure out” how to tele-transport Amazon packages.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 20, 2026

Cooper didn’t provide specifics behind the 1 billion-barrel figure, and the number is difficult to compare directly with outside estimates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

The Nusantara Atlas project put the figure at close to 300,000 hectares over the same period, and estimated that the total area affected was nearly 896,000 hectares when including August.

From Barron's

Though she wasn’t a welcome sight to me, I admit she cut a teacherish figure.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

Ellison has spent the past year fighting to buy Warner in a megadeal that would expand his entertainment empire, but that has drawn opposition from some political and Hollywood figures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026

Liberal Democrats are calling for one-to-one midwife care for women in labour, as figures suggest life-altering childbirth injuries in England have reached record levels.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

The latest NHS figures on the take-up are from 2022.

From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026

Nearly 51,000 undocumented migrants were arrested in the United States in August, according to Department of Homeland Security figures.

From Barron's

Collins’s apartment was stocked with hundreds of chess books, chess paintings and statues, and furniture and draperies decorated with chess figures; it was a virtual chess museum.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Roughly 10 years ago, Wollenweber said, the company figured out it could sell new and bigger systems to rapidly growing cloud businesses of the Big Tech companies.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 19, 2026

Evans figured he would get a second chance as a general manager.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

Users of Meta glasses have figured out ways to obscure components meant to indicate that a photo or video is being captured, including by tampering with the electronics in the device.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

There was no single revelation, just a lot of weeknight pans of mushrooms that gradually got better as I figured out what I liked.

From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026

I figured that if I took it, Jimbo would be satisfied, and everything would be all right.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Hall of Fame football coach Paul Knox had a situation early in his coaching days at Dorsey dealing with two brothers and figuring out what you’re supposed to do when they’re different.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2026

However, the first problem before the Saudis isn’t figuring out who will partner with them but rather articulating what they want.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026

A major challenge in studying historical pandemics is figuring out exactly when ancient infections occurred.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026

"When disorder enhances stability, the next challenge is figuring out how best to design it," Motter said.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026

Fighting hundreds of goblin guards would still be easier than figuring her out.

From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley

Related Words

• conclude
• determine
• discover
• fathom
• resolve
• see
• settle
• solve
• suppose
• think