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A signatory puts his or her signature on a document that is also signed by others. In 1215 the English barons revolted against King John and forced him to join them as a signatory to the Magna Carta. This agreement stated the barons' own duties to the King but also assigned the barons clear rights and limited the King's power over them. Though the Magna Carta did nothing for the common people, it's often been called the first step toward democracy in the English-speaking countries.
Examples of signatory in a Sentence
a signatory of the Declaration of Independence
Recent Examples on the Web
All 11 signatories are Democrats.
—
A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2026
The coalition has hundreds of Hollywood signatories, including Rian Johnson, Ben Affleck and Kristen Stewart.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
Both nations are signatories to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, which prohibits nuclear testing.
—Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 11 Feb. 2026
The Clean Clothes Campaign, the garment sector’s largest consortium of trade unions and civil society organizations and a witness signatory to both the Bangladesh and Pakistan Accords, went further.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 9 Feb. 2026
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A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2026
The coalition has hundreds of Hollywood signatories, including Rian Johnson, Ben Affleck and Kristen Stewart.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
Both nations are signatories to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, which prohibits nuclear testing.
—Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 11 Feb. 2026
The Clean Clothes Campaign, the garment sector’s largest consortium of trade unions and civil society organizations and a witness signatory to both the Bangladesh and Pakistan Accords, went further.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for signatory
Cite this Entry
“Signatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/signatory. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
signatory
noun
sig·na·to·ry
ˈsig-nə-ˌtōr-ē 
plural signatories
: a signer with another or others
signatories to a petition
especially
: a government bound with others by a signed convention
signatory
adjective
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