figure out

verb

figured out; figuring out; figures out

transitive verb

1
: discover, determine
try to figure out a way to do it
2
: solve, fathom
figure out a problem

Examples of figure out in a Sentence

a book of brainteasers that even a really clever person won't have an easy time figuring out
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the film, the fictional Joe spends the entire film trying to recreate his grandmother’s Sunday Gravy and figure out its secret ingredient. Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 9 May 2025 The first involves half-siblings trying to figure out their father’s kooky connection to Monarch, the monster monitoring organization. EW.com, 8 May 2025 Methodology To figure out these destinations, the team used the Census American Community surveys from 2018, 2022, and 2023 to find the total population growth, total number of households, and the median household income, which were all used to calculate the one-year and five-year changes. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 8 May 2025 Here’s how to figure out what’s destroying your lawn. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 8 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for figure out

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of figure out was in 1600

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Figure out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/figure%20out. Accessed 13 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

figure out

verb
1
: find out, discover
try to figure out a way to do it
2
: solve
figure out a problem

More from Merriam-Webster on figure out

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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