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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
Today all but one of the nonnuclear countries of the world – South Sudan – are signatories to the treaty.
—
Debak Das, The Conversation, 27 Mar. 2026
The list of signatories includes many of the field’s most prominent names, more than 50 of whom have spoken at previous congresses.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 26 Mar. 2026
The signatories also questioned the classification of the bill as an organic law, warning it could be used to give the legislation higher legal standing while sidestepping other environmental and human rights protections.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2026
The document also goes into detail about the signatories’ plans to work more closely with law enforcement to share information about scammers and to prosecute them (notably, no law enforcement agencies were involved).
—Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026
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Debak Das, The Conversation, 27 Mar. 2026
The list of signatories includes many of the field’s most prominent names, more than 50 of whom have spoken at previous congresses.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 26 Mar. 2026
The signatories also questioned the classification of the bill as an organic law, warning it could be used to give the legislation higher legal standing while sidestepping other environmental and human rights protections.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2026
The document also goes into detail about the signatories’ plans to work more closely with law enforcement to share information about scammers and to prosecute them (notably, no law enforcement agencies were involved).
—Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 20 Mar. 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 1 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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