figure out
Britishverb
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to calculate or reckon
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to understand
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Discover or determine, as in Let's figure out a way to help . [Early 1900s]
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Solve or decipher, as in Can you figure out this puzzle? [Early 1800s]
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.
This is why you should keep the name of a real estate agent handy, so you can just sell the house and let someone else figure out the TV problem.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026
“I think we’re still trying to figure out what the use case is,” said Sara Araghi, senior vice president and portfolio manager at Franklin Templeton.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 27, 2026
"We are still trying to figure out how best to support his pain so the noise levels are a huge factor for us," Lindsey added.
From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026
For markets this is pretty tough to figure out.
From Barron's • Jun. 25, 2026
He couldn't figure out why Mom wasn't happy about it.
From "All About Sam" by Lois Lowry
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.
