# figures

/ˈfɪɡjɝz/ (US) · /fˈɪɡəz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/figures
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. numbers and data

noun · CEFR B1

numbers that give information about a situation, especially in business or science.

For teachers: numerical data or statistics, often used in financial or technical reporting.

- The latest sales figures show that the company is growing quickly.
- The government released the employment figures this morning, revealing a slight but steady decline in the jobless rate over the last quarter.

### 2. body shapes

noun · CEFR B2

the shapes of people's bodies.

For teachers: the external form or shape of a human body, typically in relation to its proportions.

- The two figures walked slowly through the thick fog.
- The artist spent years studying how to capture human figures in motion, focusing on the tension in the muscles during a sprint.

### 3. to be expected

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to be logical or what you expected to happen, often used when something goes wrong.

For teachers: to be consistent with expectations or logic; frequently used in the third-person singular to express cynical acceptance.

- It figures that it would start raining just as we arrived at the beach.
- It figures that the one day I forget my keys is the same day my roommate decides to stay out late.

### 4. that's typical

interjection · CEFR B2 · Informal

a short phrase used to say you are not surprised that something bad happened.

For teachers: a colloquial exclamation used to indicate that an unfortunate event is typical or expected.

- The bus is late again? Figures.
- The printer jammed right before the meeting started. Figures.

## Examples

- The bus is late again. Figures.
- He forgot his keys on the one day he was supposed to be home early? Figures.
- When the most expensive component failed just days after the warranty expired, she simply sighed and muttered, 'Figures,' before calling the repair shop.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.