1
as in moniker
a word or combination of words by which a person or thing is regularly known
"soul" is the common denotation for that mysterious force within the human body that gives it life and yet is separate from it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in meaning
the idea that is conveyed or intended to be conveyed to the mind by language, symbol, or action
although most people exercise for fitness, the denotation of the term "fitness" varies from exerciser to exerciser
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of denotation
Controlled denotations were conducted Sunday at the site to dispose of hazardous materials, the agency said.
—
Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2025
How much control, at this point, the subcommittee can exert over emoji denotation and connotation isn’t clear.
—Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 29 June 2025
But the New Zealand Department of Conservation lists the reptiles as at risk — relict, a denotation reserved for species that declined to a small population but have since stabilized.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 22 July 2024
Language, unlike code, has connotations and denotations that make organizing it for human consumption a much more complex task, says Dr. Harbin.
—Leonardo Bevilacqua, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 June 2024
What does 4/20 mean? April 20, or 4/20 in its calendar denotation, is a holiday celebrated by many weed-smokers both in the United States and around the globe.
—Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2023
Cleverly staging appearance as disappearance, connotation serves as denotation.
—Jerrine Tan, Wired, 4 Aug. 2022
Deaths are included if a person has a positive COVID-19 test and a death certificate denotation, a record of symptoms consistent with COVID-19 that progress from illness to death, or a determination by the medical examiner’s office that there is no other cause of death, Trimble said.
—Dallas News, 5 Aug. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for denotation
Noun
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The spurious designation of Qassem Soleimani as a global terrorist, something long requested by Benjamin Netanyahu, gave the green light for the expansion of the designation to other entities long held off from the moniker out of fear of its implications.—
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Can an equitable, sustainable and transparent system be established to facilitate athletes monetizing their intellectual property rights, or does the Wild West moniker remain true while boosters and private equity play an outsized role?—
Noun
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Mark Ruffalo's look at the 2026 Golden Globes has a special meaning.—
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While Iman did not specify the design’s exact meaning, the message framed the tattoo as both an act of remembrance and a symbol of enduring love.—
Noun
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Similar nomenclature slide may have brought us the yam name that way.—
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Loomis categorized the different types of brain waves into what became known as sleep states, and created a nomenclature to describe the phases of unconsciousness.—
Noun
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So there's really no choice but for the four major conference commissioners to compile a set of rules and guidelines that make at least a marginal bit of sense.—
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Create a sense of order by clearing those surfaces of holiday-specific decor.—
Noun
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HotHands is the most recognizable name in disposable warmers for a reason.—
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This year’s list of candidates previously lacked huge names like last year’s headliners, Mike Vrabel and Ben Johnson.—
Noun
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Some researchers have cast doubt on the significance of the study due to its small size.—
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Rosado is expected to address the significance of the developments for South Florida and the broader region.—
Noun
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Deliver Me from Nowhere, based on the non-fiction book of the same title by author Warren Zanes.—
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Purdy, rendered ineffective by a torn ligament in his right elbow on the opening drive against the Eagles in a disastrous NFC title game loss three seasons ago, completed all three passes for 74 yards and capped the drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Demarcus Robinson.—
Noun
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The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.—
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This advertiser content was paid for and created by Acumen.—
Cite this Entry
“Denotation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/denotation. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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