1
a(1)
: of, relating to, resembling, or having a graph that is a line and especially a straight line : straight
(2)
: involving a single dimension
b(1)
: of the first degree with respect to one or more variables
(2)
: of, relating to, based on, or being linear equations, linear differential equations, linear functions, linear transformations, or linear algebra
c(1)
: characterized by an emphasis on line
linear art
(2)
: composed of simply drawn lines with little attempt at pictorial representation
linear script
d
: consisting of a straight chain of atoms
a linear molecule
2
: elongated with nearly parallel sides
linear leaf
see leaf illustration
3
: having or being a response or output that is directly proportional to the input
4
: of, relating to, or based or depending on sequential development
linear thinking
a linear narrative
Examples of linear in a Sentence
a flat, almost linear horizon
the bullets from early firearms were notorious for not following a strictly linear path through the air
Recent Examples on the Web
As anyone who has experienced loss knows, grief isn’t linear.
—
Alisha Ebrahimji,
CNN Money,
6 July 2026
For brides drawn to the cleaner, portrait‑style elegance seen in Sperling’s wedding gown, Wickstead offered parallel lines in Italian duchesse and silk mikado with off‑the‑shoulder necklines, elongated torsos and linear trains.
—
Tianwei Zhang,
Footwear News,
3 July 2026
Yet, the transition from teenage phenom to professional mainstay has been anything but a linear ascent.
—
Douglas Robson,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
My journey—from a Jewish refugee fleeing ethnic persecution in Belarus to the CEO of a nursing education group—has been anything but linear.
—
Mikhail Shneyder,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for linear
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Alisha Ebrahimji,
CNN Money,
6 July 2026
For brides drawn to the cleaner, portrait‑style elegance seen in Sperling’s wedding gown, Wickstead offered parallel lines in Italian duchesse and silk mikado with off‑the‑shoulder necklines, elongated torsos and linear trains.
—
Tianwei Zhang,
Footwear News,
3 July 2026
Yet, the transition from teenage phenom to professional mainstay has been anything but a linear ascent.
—
Douglas Robson,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
My journey—from a Jewish refugee fleeing ethnic persecution in Belarus to the CEO of a nursing education group—has been anything but linear.
—
Mikhail Shneyder,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for linear
Cite this Entry
“Linear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/linear. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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