Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

stencils

  • plural
    of stencil.
    stencil
    noun
    a device for applying a pattern, design, words, etc., to a surface, consisting of a thin sheet of cardboard, metal, or other material from which figures or letters have been cut out, a coloring substance, ink, etc., being rubbed, brushed, or pressed over the sheet, passing through the perforations and onto the surface.
  • present tense form
    of stencil (3rd person singular).
    stencil
    noun
    a device for applying a pattern, design, words, etc., to a surface, consisting of a thin sheet of cardboard, metal, or other material from which figures or letters have been cut out, a coloring substance, ink, etc., being rubbed, brushed, or pressed over the sheet, passing through the perforations and onto the surface.

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.

See Examples For:

Design studies for Olana included in the exhibit provide further details about the ornamental stencils that characterize Church’s home both inside and out.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

On Friday, Musk shared two side-by-side A.I.-generated images of graffiti-style stencils: a smiling, handsome Kirk, and a cowering, dying Zarutska.

From Slate ● Sep. 12, 2025

There’s lots of fun stencils to choose from, so even if you’re not the natural you hoped, you’ll still end up with a masterpiece.

From Salon ● May 28, 2025

They have also declined to comment about the possible meaning behind the series of stencils in London.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2024

She’s on a hot-pink Electra with brightly colored stencils on the fenders that remind me of one of the modern art paintings we saw on our class trip to the Norton Museum last year.

From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina