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.
Hearing the futile spinning of tires, neighbors came out en masse to figure out how to solve the problem.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
The first day used to be so chaotic and humorous in the old days, with players not knowing how to put on helmets let alone figure out shoulder pads and struggling in line drills.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
McElwee’s last documentary, 2011’s “Photographic Memory,” saw Adrian as a young adult, trying to come into his own and figure out his place in life amid a shifting social landscape riddled with digital black holes.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
“It is not the job or duty of the custodian to figure out what the asset is worth.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 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.
