Diagram: meaning, definitions and examples

Used for a simple representation showing the relationship between parts or how something works.

• This Venn diagram shows the overlap between two sets
• The engineer drew a diagram to explain the new machine

Useful for presenting data in a visual format, often including tables, bars, and lines to compare variables.

• The sales chart shows our performance over the last quarter
• Creating a pie chart can help visualize market share

Commonly used in mathematics and science to plot data points on a coordinate system, showing trends over time.

• A line graph illustrates how temperatures changed throughout the year
• The scientist presented a graph depicting the growth rate

Used to describe a systematic plan or arrangement, often of a larger, long-term project with multiple steps or parts.

• The color scheme for the website is designed to be user-friendly
• The architect created a scheme for the new city layout

Used to show information in a structured, often technical way, such as in scientific, mathematical, or engineering contexts.

• The engineer explained the system using a detailed diagram.
• A Venn diagram can help illustrate the intersections of data sets.

Often used in formal documents, reports, or scientific papers to present data, results, or other important information.

• Refer to figure 3 for the experimental results.
• The report includes several figures to clarify the findings.

Used in a broader context to describe a visual example, often in books, articles, or presentations to make the content more engaging or understandable.

• The book contains beautiful illustrations to accompany the text.
• An illustration of the process can be found on page 15.

Used to describe a rough or unfinished drawing, often done quickly to capture the basic form or concept.

• She made a quick sketch of the landscape before painting it.
• The architect presented a preliminary sketch of the new building.