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)

outlines, present (3rd person singular) outlined, past participle, past outlining present participle

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

Synonym Usage

See form.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have outlined
  perfect
• has outlined
  perfect 3rd person singular
• are outlining
  progressive
• is outlining
  progressive 3rd person singular
• outlines
  singular 3rd person
• has been outlining
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• outlining
  participle
• am outlining
  progressive 1st person singular
• have been outlining
  perfect progressive

Past

• had outlined
  perfect
• were outlining
  progressive plural
• outlined
  participle
• outlined
  simple
• was outlining
  progressive singular
• had been outlining
  perfect progressive

Future

• will outline
  simple
• will have outlined
  perfect
• will have been outlining
  perfect progressive
• will be outlining
  progressive

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

The spring foliage hid its outline but not the signals from the electronic devices within.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

He gave me a very rough outline of the show, of the character ...

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026

If you have not done that, you can clearly outline your plans in a letter of intent.

From MarketWatch • May 29, 2026

He says this wetter weather has been having "a dulling effect" on the Giant's outline, leaving it greener and less distinct between maintenance work.

From BBC • May 27, 2026

There was a crude outline of an adult male on the pulpit of a harpoon boat.

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen

Related Words

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