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.

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

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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