Synonyms of mean
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as in to signify
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as in to matter
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as in to intend
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as in to indicate
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as in cruel
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as in dirty
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as in low
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as in stingy
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as in inferior
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as in great
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as in dilapidated
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as in lame
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as in average
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as in middle
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as in doing
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as in ministry
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as in worth
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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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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of mean
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 May 2026
That’s why these two regular-season trips still mean something now.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 6 May 2026
Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 3 May 2026
Dave Grohl faces the backlash with the leanest, meanest Foo Fighters album in 30 years.
—Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 25 Apr. 2026
Dana Taylor, USA Today, 12 May 2026
That Johnson was Hafley’s first selection in the secondary means he will not only be asked to contribute early but will surely have his coach’s attention from the onset.
—Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for mean
Verb
The state’s inexplicable obsession with secrecy means no one knows.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 May 2026
That’s why these two regular-season trips still mean something now.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 6 May 2026
Adjective
As this sequence plays out, the social fabric further shreds and unravels; trust circles shrink and become ever more homogeneous; and hostility, mean spiritedness, and a general hardening take hold in society.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 3 May 2026
Dave Grohl faces the backlash with the leanest, meanest Foo Fighters album in 30 years.
—Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
For more on what all of this means for your summer travel plans, I'm joined by USA TODAY's consumer travel reporter, Zach Wichter.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 12 May 2026
That Johnson was Hafley’s first selection in the secondary means he will not only be asked to contribute early but will surely have his coach’s attention from the onset.
—Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for mean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mean
Verb
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Pick your bouquet by color including yellow, which signifies friendship, according to April & Ashley’s Co-CEO Tyler Francis.—
Stacey Zable,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
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Mourners also placed flowers and crowns on each of the children's bodies during the service as a part of a crowning ceremony to signify eternal life.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
10 May 2026
Verb
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Attenborough matters because, for generations of TV viewers, in scores of countries, he has been regarded as the person who best understands one crucial purpose of the medium—who has made the most fruitful use of what television, uniquely, can be for.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
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Titles don’t matter — results do.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
Verb
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The state is planning a $10 million project that will impact two communities and, in addition to replacing outdated infrastructure, the work is intended to improve safety for motorists and pedestrians, records show.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
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In April, Congressman Brendan Boyle (D-PA), announced his Gas Price Relief Act in Philadelphia, a move intended to lower climbing gas prices.—
Kaitlyn McCormick,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
Verb
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After throwing three innings for Triple-A Sugar Land last week, Imai indicated a difference in major-league scouting reports contributed to his problems.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
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New evidence in a study by researchers at Florida Atlantic University and the University of Central Florida found that changes in driving behavior can act as biomarkers indicating a decline in mental clarity that pre-dates major signs of dementia.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
Noun
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Supply constraints could take months to normalize and the impact on prices by the middle of this year could be huge.—
Tobias Burns,
CNBC,
10 May 2026
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Grande will be in the middle of the Eternal Sunshine tour when the record arrives.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
10 May 2026
Noun
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Ohm’s fix is partially his own doing.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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Aquarium staff were confident the escape was entirely Inky’s own doing, pointing to the tight security at the facility and their understanding of how octopuses behave.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Earlier, the Lebanese health ministry said at least 380 people have been killed and 1,122 injured in Lebanon since the ceasefire took effect on April 17.—
Sarah Tamimi,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
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Magyar has vowed to conduct a major overhaul of much of the governmental structure, and there are now separate ministries for health, environmental protection and education that did not exist under Orbán.—
Justin Spike,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Noun
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That vomit accretes in layers across avian generations, trapping 50,000 years’ worth of data about the birds’ diet and the sea ice environment.—
Hannah Richter,
Scientific American,
7 May 2026
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The Book of Mormon has canceled two weeks’ worth of performances after an electrical fire broke out in the theater.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mean. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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