Synonyms of mean
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as in to signify
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1
as in to signify
to communicate or convey (as an idea) to the mind
the national anthem means various things to various people
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Relevance
2
as in to matter
to be of importance
your presence at my graduation would mean a lot to me
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3
as in to intend
to have in mind as a purpose or goal
I mean to win this race
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1
as in cruel
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it
a mean, embittered old woman who wanted company for her misery
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dirty
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency
a mean trick to play on a trusting person
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3
as in low
belonging to the class of people of low social or economic rank
Alexander Hamilton seems to have had feelings of inferiority because of his mean origins
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4
as in stingy
giving or sharing as little as possible
a mean child who hoarded all her toys
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5
as in inferior
of little or less value or merit
it's no mean feat to memorize that long poem
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6
as in great
of the very best kind
I'm a mean dancer, so you could do worse than go to the prom with me
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7
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
he worked hard to escape the mean neighborhood of his youth
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8
as in lame
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
that was no mean stunt to pull off, especially with so little advance preparation
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as in average
being about midway between extremes of amount or size
for the state of Florida, what is the mean number of sunny days per month?
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1
as in middle
a middle point between extremes
that candidate's moderate views were seen as the mean that voters were looking for
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2
as in doing
means plural
an action planned or taken to achieve a desired result
won the competition by fair and honest means
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3
as in ministry
means plural
something used to achieve an end
the ends don't justify the means
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4
as in worth
means plural
the total of one's money and property
a woman of considerable means
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of mean
Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 10 Jan. 2026
The readjustment means shifting second-year center Kel’el Ware back to the bench, with Saturday his 11th bench appearance in his 38 appearances this season.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
Judy Berman, Time, 8 Jan. 2026
Additionally, the December survey showed that respondents’ expectations of losing their job rose to the highest mean probability since April 2025, while the probability of those voluntarily quitting dropped to the lowest rate since July 2023.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026
Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2025
Axiom strictly avoids heavy chemical use as the necessary means to its end goal.
—Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mean
Verb
The move means the UAE has removed British universities from a list of higher education institutions eligible for state scholarships amid growing tensions over London's decision not to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, The Financial Times reported.
—Adjective
Both of the above are essential to the show’s endgame, ensuring that a sequence of unhinged kickers ostensibly meant to be devilish fun instead come across as mean-spirited and exploitative.
—Noun
And some of the ideas for doing that involve controversial means.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for mean
Verb
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In days of old, that signified no parking.—
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The album signified a resurgence of her musical career, earning her a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance, and is now the title of the upcoming documentary.—
Verb
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However, all but one Horned Frog who got in the game scored, and Campbell said the team’s scoring versatility matters even more when one of the team’s top scorers struggles.—
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Our voices matter, and our dreams deserve space.—
Verb
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The attack occurred hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alerted the nation that Russia intended to launch a large-scale offensive.—
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It is not intended as legal, financial, or professional advice.—
Verb
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This week, Walker County Coroner Joey Vick said that preliminary autopsy findings indicate that Johnathan Boley’s death is consistent with hypothermia, Fox affiliate WBRC, ABC affiliate WBMA and NBC affiliate WVTM reported.—
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In fact, earlier research indicates that such training could be detrimental, inspiring burnout.—
Noun
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Arsenal’s first half in the 4-1 home win against Aston Villa a week ago — when the visitors continuously broke through the middle of the pitch — was the perfect example of what happens when their partnership is split up, in this case by Rice’s knee injury.—
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The Antarctic ice sheet is essentially a very slow-moving frozen river, with ice flowing from the middle of Antarctica out to sea.—
Noun
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Some of it is the Panthers’ doing.—
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But that could take some doing, and might be easier said than done.—
Noun
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Since Gloo launched in 2013, more than 140,000 churches, ministries, nonprofits and rescue missions now use its AI technology.—
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The foreign ministry said that expansion and repurposing works at the Mogadishu port are underway as part of broader developments, but ongoing activities there have not affected the custody and distribution of humanitarian assistance.—
Noun
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According to the market research firm EchoTik, the TikTok Shop sold $19 billion worth of products globally in the third quarter of this year, from July through September.—
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For me, the ring wasn't about my partner proving his financial worth to me.—
Cite this Entry
“Mean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mean. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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