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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
In 2004, the agreement was updated to add Greenland, which established some self-governance in 1979, as a signatory.
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Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
If that is not enough, Richard Henry Lee, signatory of the Declaration of Independence and George Washington are his 6th-generation grandfather and great uncle, respectively.
—Malana Vantyler, Sacbee.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Mayor Mike Johnston’s office is preparing a bid to host the 2028 Democratic National Convention, according to a letter from Colorado’s Democratic members of Congress provided to The Denver Post by one of the signatories’ offices.
—Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2026
Iran is a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention, though Western governments have repeatedly accused the Islamic Republic of violating international norms.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 29 Dec. 2025
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Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
If that is not enough, Richard Henry Lee, signatory of the Declaration of Independence and George Washington are his 6th-generation grandfather and great uncle, respectively.
—Malana Vantyler, Sacbee.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Mayor Mike Johnston’s office is preparing a bid to host the 2028 Democratic National Convention, according to a letter from Colorado’s Democratic members of Congress provided to The Denver Post by one of the signatories’ offices.
—Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2026
Iran is a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention, though Western governments have repeatedly accused the Islamic Republic of violating international norms.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 29 Dec. 2025
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 Jan. 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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