Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sculpt
1860–65; < French sculpter < Latin sculpt- (past participle stem of sculpere to carve); or as back formation from sculptor
Explanation
To sculpt is to shape or carve a figure out of a moldable or hard material. You could sculpt a figure of your mom's cat or you could sculpt your biceps by lifting weights. Artists who sculpt are called sculptors, and the work of art they make is called a sculpture. You can sculpt out of wood or stone, by carving, or sculpt clay by molding and shaping. You can sculpt metal by heating it and pouring it into molds, or by welding pieces of it together. It's even possible to sculpt with balloons, twisting them into complicated structures or figures.
Vocabulary lists containing sculpt
"Brothers in Hope"
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Unit 17, Lesson 4
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Black Girl You Are Atlas
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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.
The Murdochs declined to participate, but decades’ worth of archival footage gives Garbus plenty to sculpt.
From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026
As the doctor’s apprentice, Little moves with him to Paris, where she helps sculpt figures for his new wax museum.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026
The manosphere’s sobriety is robed in strength and self-actualization, no different than the sleep routine, supplements, and squats that will sculpt the best version of you.
From Slate • Feb. 15, 2026
"This discovery reveals the complexity of the physical processes that sculpt exoplanetary atmospheres and their interaction with their stellar environment. We are only beginning to discover the true complexity of these worlds."
From Science Daily • Jan. 20, 2026
We can draw, collage, sculpt, or use whatever material we want.
From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila
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.
