sign 1 of 2

verb

Definition of signnext
as in to autograph
to write one's name on (as a document) you'll have to sign the contract for it to be legal

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

sign

2 of 2

noun

ˈsīn How to pronounce sign (audio)
1
as in gesture
a movement of the body or limbs that expresses or emphasizes an idea or feeling made a sign for the audience to be quiet

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in symbol
a written or printed mark that is meant to convey information to the reader an "and" sign

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word sign distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of sign are mark, note, symptom, and token. While all these words mean "a discernible indication of what is not itself directly perceptible," sign applies to any indication to be perceived by the senses or the reason.

encouraging signs for the economy

When is it sensible to use mark instead of sign?

The words mark and sign are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mark suggests something impressed on or inherently characteristic of a thing often in contrast to general outward appearance.

a mark of a good upbringing

When could note be used to replace sign?

The synonyms note and sign are sometimes interchangeable, but note suggests a distinguishing mark or characteristic.

a note of irony in her writing

Where would symptom be a reasonable alternative to sign?

While the synonyms symptom and sign are close in meaning, symptom suggests an outward indication of an internal change or condition.

rampant crime is a symptom of that city's decay

When can token be used instead of sign?

While in some cases nearly identical to sign, token applies to something that serves as a proof of something intangible.

this gift is a token of our esteem

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sign
Verb
Why Cam Cook left TCU When Cook signed with TCU, offensive coordinator Garrett Riley was still in charge, coming off the run to the national championship game in 2022. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026 Now, more than 80 nutrition experts are signing a petition for the White House to release its definition. — Anil Oza, STAT, 23 Oct. 2026
Noun
The Sun enters your sign today, beginning your season and putting greater emphasis on your goals, identity, presence, and personal direction. — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 23 Oct. 2026 All signs point to this being more of a revival or continuation than a reboot of the original premise, but given how the original run’s final seasons struggled to unite its characters, how will this new chapter manage to do so? — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sign
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sign
  1. autograph
  2. gesture
  3. symbol
  4. pen
Verb
  • The patch is removed, authenticated and packaged with a trading card autographed by the player.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The ball was also autographed by Happ, who left a third message between the red stitches.
    — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of autograph
Noun
  • One of the sweetest gestures during the Halloween season in Kansas City comes from one of the sweetest companies in town — Russell Stover.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Still, the gesture sends a clear message that this is Luka's team now.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of gesture
Noun
  • The race has taken on significance beyond Michigan, with Republicans casting El-Sayed as a symbol of a Democratic Party moving further to the left.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Coupled with job-displacement fears from AI, opponents now point to the facilities as a physical symbol of who benefits from the boom and who gets stuck with the bill.
    — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of symbol
Verb
  • Shields is penning the script for the Gladys prequel film to Weapons (2025) with Zach Cregger.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Texts about collaborating with her are penned by the likes of Haider Ackermann, Saskia de Brauw and Dries Van Noten.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of pen

Phrases Containing sign

Browse Nearby Words

sightseers
sign
signal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sign.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sign. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on sign

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sign

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All