outline

American  

[out-lahyn] / ˈaʊtˌlaɪn /

noun

1. the line by which a figure or object is defined or bounded; contour.

2. a drawing or sketch restricted to line without shading or modeling of form.

3. a general sketch, account, or report, indicating only the main features, as of a book, subject, or project.

   an outline of medieval history; an outline of a speech.

   Synonyms:

   summary, synopsis, rough, draft, plan

4. outlines, the essential features or main aspects of something under discussion.

   At the first meeting, we gave her only the outlines of the project.

5. Printing. an ornamented type in which the outside contours of each character appear in black, with the inside left white.

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verb (used with object)

outlined, outlining

1. to draw the outline of, or draw in outline, as a figure or object.

   Synonyms:

   draft, delineate

2. to give an outline of; sketch the main features of.

   On the first day, the professor just outlined the course for us.

   Synonyms:

   draft, delineate

outline British  

/ ˈaʊtˌlaɪn /

noun

1. a preliminary or schematic plan, draft, account, etc

2. (usually plural) the important features of an argument, theory, work, etc

3. the line by which an object or figure is or appears to be bounded

4. 1. a drawing or manner of drawing consisting only of external lines

   2. ( as modifier )

      an outline map

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verb

1. to draw or display the outline of

2. to give the main features or general idea of

Related Words

See form.

Other Word Forms

• preoutline noun
• reoutline verb (used with object)
• well-outlined adjective

Etymology

Origin of outline

First recorded in 1655–65; out- + line ¹

Explanation

The gist, the essence, the major parts of something — that's its outline. The origins of outline come from the artistic practice of marking a line around the outer edge of a person or shape in a picture before filling it in. Only later, in the 1800s, did it come to be applied to verbal descriptions, too. Technically an outline suggests a condensed form of something, but as any high school or college student knows, course outlines have a habit of being pretty darn long. In 1919 H.G. Wells wrote a book called An Outline of History. Its length? 1,324 pages.

Example Sentences

Their findings outline a path forward, suggesting that with the right combination of strategies, Alzheimer's could eventually become a manageable or even preventable condition rather than an inevitable decline.

From Science Daily • Apr. 10, 2026

This tragic arc is correct in outline, and Mr. Stuttard moves the story along with flair.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Apple faces investor pressure to outline its AI strategy, as shares dropped 13% from their December 2, 2025, high.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

The president is widely reported to have passed on to the Iranians - via Pakistan, which is acting as a mediator - an outline of a 15-point plan to end the conflict.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

A moment later, the darkness around her began to lift, and she could see his outline next to her.

From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack

Related Words

• blueprint
• draft
• drawing
• framework
• summary
• synopsis