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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
Some assume that if a treaty exists, dividends paid by a corporation formed in the foreign country that is a treaty signatory will automatically qualify.
—
Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
The landmark treaty set up safeguards through the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to monitor compliance and stop nuclear materials from being diverted for weapons, while guaranteeing all signatories equal access to nonthreatening nuclear technology.
—Brendan Rascius
july 8, Miami Herald, 8 July 2025
That, in turn, would cause major concerns among its signatories and among Germany’s immediate neighbors.
—Florence Gaub, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Many of the signatories of Friday’s petition were local church leaders, including the bishops of the Methodist California-Pacific Conference and Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025
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Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
The landmark treaty set up safeguards through the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to monitor compliance and stop nuclear materials from being diverted for weapons, while guaranteeing all signatories equal access to nonthreatening nuclear technology.
—Brendan Rascius
july 8, Miami Herald, 8 July 2025
That, in turn, would cause major concerns among its signatories and among Germany’s immediate neighbors.
—Florence Gaub, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Many of the signatories of Friday’s petition were local church leaders, including the bishops of the Methodist California-Pacific Conference and Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 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 14 Jul. 2025.
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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