Meaning & use
silhouette
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Meanings
nouncountable
The dark outline of something seen against a brighter background, with no details inside.
Grammar: Usually with a: the silhouette of a tree.
Patterns
- the silhouette of something
- in silhouette
The silhouette of the mountains stood out against the sunset.
We saw his silhouette in the window.
Birds flew past in silhouette.
nouncountable
The overall shape or outline of a person's body or of clothing.
Grammar: Common in fashion: a slim silhouette.
Patterns
- a slim silhouette
The dress has a flattering silhouette.
Her silhouette changed after she started running.
Designers are bringing back the wide-leg silhouette.
verbtransitive
To show something as a dark outline against a lighter background.
Grammar: Usually passive: silhouetted against the sky.
Patterns
- be silhouetted against something
The hikers were silhouetted against the red sky.
The streetlight silhouetted the dancers on the wall.
The tower silhouetted itself against the moon.
Word forms
| plural | silhouettes |
|---|---|
| third person singular | silhouettes |
| past tense | silhouetted |
| -ing form | silhouetting |
Common combinations
- dark silhouette
- A dark silhouette appeared in the doorway.
- in silhouette
- The skyline looks best in silhouette.
- against the sky
- The trees formed a silhouette against the sky.
- slim silhouette
- The coat gives a slim silhouette.
- outline a silhouette
- The lamp outlined her silhouette on the curtain.
- cut a silhouette
- The artist can cut a silhouette from black paper.
Synonyms and how they differ
- outline
- Outline is the line that marks the edge of a shape and does not require a dark filled interior.
- shadow
- Shadow is cast on a surface by a blocked light, while a silhouette is a shape seen against light.
- profile
- Profile means a side view of a face and may have details.
- contour
- Contour is a technical word for the line of a shape's edge.
Word family
- silhouetted adjective
- seen as a dark outline
- silhouette verb
- to show as an outline
- silhouettes noun
- the plural
Commonly confused: silhouette or shadow?
silhouette vs shadow
A shadow is the dark area where light is blocked; a silhouette is the shape you see against a bright background.
Practice
Which sentence best describes a silhouette?
Choose one answer.
A silhouette shows only an outline, with no inner detail.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “silhouette”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.