What does "contour" mean?
An outline, boundary or border, usually of curved shape.
Contour
/ˈkɒntɔː(ɹ)/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An outline, boundary or border, usually of curved shape.
- Grammar: contour is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: contour line, form, shape, adapt.
- Useful contrasts: blur, center, coarsen.
- Usage evidence: I'm learning how to contour my face with make-up.
How to use "contour"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "contour" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "contour" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "contour" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "contour" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "contour" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "contour line" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "contour", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An outline, boundary or border, usually of curved shape.
"the low drag contour of a modern automobile"
- 2 any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline) wordnet
- 3 A line on a map or chart delineating those points which have the same altitude or other plotted quantity: a contour line or isopleth; (metonymically) the landform or its surface.
- 4 a feature (or the order or arrangement of features) of anything having a complex structure wordnet
- 5 a speech sound which behaves as a single segment, but which makes an internal transition from one quality, place, or manner to another.
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 a line drawn on a map connecting points of equal height wordnet
- 7 A general description giving the most important points. figuratively
"Contours of a deal with conservative holdouts who had been blocking McCarthy’s rise had emerged the night before, and took hold after four dismal days and 14 failed votes in an intraparty standoff unseen in modern times."
Verb
- 1 To form a more or less curved boundary or border upon. transitive
- 2 form the contours of wordnet
- 3 To mark with contour lines. transitive
- 4 To practise the makeup technique of contouring. intransitive
"What is the French-preferred method to add dimension to the skin, if not to contour?"
- 5 To shape conditions regarding salient points. figuratively
"But the bill will exact a heavy cost — one that will complicate its prospects even if it passes the full House this week and will contour the political climate ahead of 2026 midterm elections."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"I'm learning how to contour my face with make-up."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "contour"?
Common synonyms include: contour line, form, shape, adapt, border, broad lines.
How do you use "contour" in a sentence?
I'm learning how to contour my face with make-up.
How do you pronounce "contour"?
Pronounced /ˈkɒntɔː(ɹ)/.
Etymology
Borrowed from French contour, from contourner, equivalent to con- + tour.