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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
As the first plaintiff in the class-action case, Gomez is demanding a trial by jury as well as declaratory and injunctive relief—that Nike rectify its wrongful actions—as well as an award of punitive damages for herself and other signatories of the suit.
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Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 7 Apr. 2026
Sixty-eight women and 32 men signed the Declaration of Sentiments, including Douglass, the document’s only Black signatory.
—Beverly Gage, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2026
Several state legislators, aldermen and community group leaders were also among the 50 signatories.
—Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Medical professionals among the signatories point to issues such as access to adequate care for children and adolescents.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
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Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 7 Apr. 2026
Sixty-eight women and 32 men signed the Declaration of Sentiments, including Douglass, the document’s only Black signatory.
—Beverly Gage, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2026
Several state legislators, aldermen and community group leaders were also among the 50 signatories.
—Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Medical professionals among the signatories point to issues such as access to adequate care for children and adolescents.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 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 12 Apr. 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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