signify

verb

ˈsig-nə-ˌfī How to pronounce signify (audio)
Definition of signifynext
1
as in to mean
to be of importance never mind, as the color of the room doesn't signify in the least

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to denote
to communicate or convey (as an idea) to the mind the symbol failed to signify anything to me—until I realized that it was upside down

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to indicate
to serve as a sign or symptom of the opening of the new mall signifies the city's overdue emergence from economic depression

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 signify Part of what Myha’la’s wink signifies is how much Celebrity Traitors UK is about, well, being a celebrity. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026 Whatever the detail signified, this was his final bow for Saint Laurent. — Luke Leitch, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026 But in the Pentagon’s email system, Kollitides’ name now carries an abbreviation signifying he has been designated an HQE, or highly qualified expert. — Aaron Davis, ProPublica, 9 Oct. 2026 The appointment signifies a new chapter for Zankov, formalizing a partnership that has already played a pivotal role in the development of his business over the past two years. — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for signify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for signify
  1. mean
  2. denote
  3. indicate
  4. matter
  5. imply
  6. weigh
Verb
  • But his planning doesn’t mean that the tax would survive the courts, and in any case, not every billionaire will necessarily make similar arrangements.
    — Ramesh Ponnuru, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Winning means making much tougher decisions about what to put on the floor.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of mean
Verb
  • The title obviously denotes your look onstage rocking the tejana.
    — Deputy Entertainment, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The downtrend channel that took hold in December 2024 has come into secular support from the monthly cloud model, denoted by the shading on the chart.
    — Katie Stockton, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of denote
Verb
  • Neither side has indicated when the temporary truce would end.
    — Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Individual containers of food were not marked to indicate the food items to be discarded under time as public health control.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of indicate
Verb
  • The next census count is still a few years away, but what our leaders decide now matters a great deal.
    — Julie Morita, Time, 25 Oct. 2026
  • That means that while the AP ranking doesn’t matter for CFP qualification, the Broncos will also likely top the CFP Committee’s rankings once released.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of matter
Verb
  • Because light obeys a superposition principle even under classical physics, this experimental breakthrough doesn’t imply that Schrödinger’s equation necessarily applies to objects 12,900 kilometers wide.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • But to imply that a world-class athlete is exaggerating an injury to preserve his reputation is a staggering lapse in judgment.
    — Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of imply
Verb
  • Nvidia's flagship Vera Rubin product is a seven-foot rack containing 72 GPUs and weighing as much as a pickup truck.
    — Kif Leswing,Isabel O'Brien, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The salty bacon and fluffy eggs formed that classic breakfast flavor, while the potatoes added a satisfying heartiness without weighing the taco down.
    — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of weigh

Browse Nearby Words

signifies
signify
signifying
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation
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