Meaning: A shape, especially of a human body or an object.
The vase has a slender figure with elegant curves.
She’s always been proud of her athletic figure.
The artist sketched the figure of a horse in just a few minutes.
Meaning: To calculate, estimate, or solve something mathematically or logically.
It took me an hour to figure out the answer to the puzzle.
Can you figure the total cost of the project by tomorrow?
She’s trying to figure how much paint we’ll need for the walls.
Meaning: A numerical symbol or amount, often used in statistics or data.
The report shows a figure of 25% growth this quarter.
He quoted a figure of $5,000 for the repairs.
The population figures for the city have been updated.
Meaning: An expression used to say that something is not surprising, often implying it’s typical or expected (sometimes negatively).
He’s late again? Well, that figures—he’s always running behind.
A: The team lost after their star player got injured. B: That figures.
A: She forgot to reply to my email. B: That figures—she’s so disorganized.
Meaning: A person of importance or influence in a particular field.
He’s a well-known figure in the tech industry.
The conference featured several prominent political figures.
She became a key figure in the environmental movement.
Meaning: To appear in a particular context or be part of something.
His name figures prominently in the history books.
She didn’t figure in the final decision, despite her contributions.
This issue figures heavily in the debate.
Figure as a noun can refer to a shape, number, or important person.
Figure as a verb can mean calculate, appear, or understand.
"That figures" is an idiomatic expression for something being expected or typical.