figure-ground

[ fig-yer-ground ]

/ ˈfɪg yərˈgraʊnd /

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noun Psychology.

a property of perception in which there is a tendency to see parts of a visual field as solid, well-defined objects standing out against a less distinct background.

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Words nearby figure-ground

figured, figured bass, figured glass, figure eight, figure eight suture, figure-ground, figure-ground phenomenon, figurehead, figure in, figure of eight, figure-of-eight bandage

How to use figure-ground in a sentence

For every nanosecond that I miraculously lift off the ground, I land with an inordinately loud thud.
How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze|Lizzie Crocker|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
That article noted that the F-35 does not currently have the ability to down-link live video to ground troops,.
Pentagon Misfires in Stealth Jet Scandal|Dave Majumdar|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
There were rumors of shrieks and flashes emanating from the well, and reports of a figure in white.
New York’s Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion|Nina Strochlic|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Even other men of color considered Revels a curious figure, for Mississippi had never had a large free black population.
The Black Man Who Replaced Jefferson Davis in the Senate|Philip Dray|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST

The people who are involved in the violence, they figure out ways to remain here at all costs and continue causing trouble.
Mexico’s Priests Are Marked for Murder|Jason McGahan|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
A desultory conversation on politics, in which neither took the slightest interest, was a safe neutral ground.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
He didn't need to wait—as the birds did—until an angleworm stuck his head above ground.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
The Vine is a universal favorite, and rarely out of view; while it often seems to cover half the ground in sight.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
He was tall and of familiar figure, and the firelight was playing in the tossed curls of his short, fair hair.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
Entrez donc, 'tis the work of one of your compatriots; and here, though a heretic, you may consider yourself on English ground.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 372, October 1846|Various