meaning

play

noun mean·ing \ ˈmē-niŋ \

Definition of meaning

1 a :the thing one intends to convey especially by language :purport

Do not mistake my meaning.

b :the thing that is conveyed especially by language :import

Many words have more than one meaning.

2 :something meant or intended :aim

a mischievous meaning was apparent

3 :significant quality; especially :implication of a hidden or special significance

a glance full of meaning

4 a :the logical connotation of a word or phrase

b :the logical denotation or extension of a word or phrase

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meaning

adjective

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meaningly

play \-niŋ-lē\ adverb

See meaning defined for English-language learners

See meaning defined for kids

Examples of meaning in a Sentence

What is the precise meaning of this word in English?
an old word that has taken on a new meaning
The word has both literal meanings and figurative meanings.
a word with various shades of meaning
Don't distort her meaning by taking her words out of context.
I didn't understand the meaning of his remark.
Literary critics disagree about the meanings of his poems.
a poem with subtle shades of meaning
What is the meaning of life?
It's a story about the true meaning of Christmas.

Recent Examples of meaning from the Web

After Ko signed off, readers purposefully dug into the meaning of the book’s title.

— kaite mediatore stover, kansascity, "‘The Leavers’ gives FYI Book Club readers a glimpse into immigrants’ plight," 25 Aug. 2017
Speaking of which, the title could easily have a third and more exciting meaning.

— joanna robinson, HWD, "Game of Thrones: The Explosive Reveal Possibly Hiding in the New Finale Title," 22 Aug. 2017
Manny Hernandez Miami Herald File Related stories from Miami Herald Is there a deeper meaning to the solar eclipse?

— howard cohen, miamiherald, "Music with your eclipse? Here is the ultimate celestial soundtrack," 21 Aug. 2017
In the video—which gives new meaning to #girlpower—Lovato pulls Martin down and somersaults on top of her, eventually pinning the former world champion to the mat with her legs.

— evin billington, Health.com, "Demi Lovato Looks Like a Total Badass in Her Latest Kickboxing Video," 16 Aug. 2017
Dream Circle Share, 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 19 at Brincka Cross Gardens examines the symbolism and meaning of dreams.

— Post-Tribune, "Community calendar," 11 Aug. 2017
Before the inclusion of the poem on the base of the statue, that might have been its only meaning.

— jessica goudeau, Teen Vogue, "What Stephen Miller Gets WRONG With His Comments About the Statue of Liberty Poem," 4 Aug. 2017
A simple, normally meaningless transaction Wednesday by the Minnesota Vikings carried an abundance of meaning to the team's fan base, as well as the Louisville fan base.

— daniel karell, The Courier-Journal, "Teddy Bridgewater placed on active/PUP list," 26 July 2017
Indeed, looking back, McCain's tangled questioning last month of former FBI director James B. Comey … seems to hold more potent meaning.

— james hohmann, Washington Post, "The Daily 202: Trump shows disdain for rule of law with new attacks on Sessions, Rosenstein, Mueller," 20 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'meaning.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of meaning

14th century

meaning Synonyms

Synonyms

content, denotation, drift, import, intent, intention, purport, sense, significance, signification

Related Words

connotation; clue, cue, hint, implication, indication, inkling, intimation, suggestion; message, tenor, theme; bottom, essence, essentiality, nature, soul, spirit, stuff; acceptance, acceptation, definition; burden, crux, gist; core, heart, kernel, marrow, nub, nucleus, pith, point, quick; matter, motif, motive, question, subject, topic

Near Antonyms

means, method, way

MEANING Defined for English Language Learners

meaning

play

noun

Definition of meaning for English Language Learners

: the idea that is represented by a word, phrase, etc.
: the idea that a person wants to express by using words, signs, etc.
: the idea that is expressed in a work of writing, art, etc.

MEANING Defined for Kids

meaning

play

noun mean·ing \ ˈmē-niŋ \

Definition of meaning for Students

1 :the idea that is represented by a word, phrase, or statement

2 :the idea a person intends to express by something said or done

What is the meaning of this behavior?

3 :the reason or explanation for something

… Father Wolf taught him … the meaning of things in the jungle …
—Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book

4 :the quality of communicating something or of being important

He gave me a look full of meaning.

Learn More about meaning

See words that rhyme with meaning Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for meaning Spanish Central: Translation of meaning Nglish: Translation of meaning for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of meaning for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about meaning

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MEANING Defined for English Language Learners

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