Did you know?
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
Turner, who chairs the BRISMES Committee on Academic Freedom, was co-signatory of a letter the body sent to KCL leadership in November regarding Ghanem’s case.
—
Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 23 Jan. 2026
Trump was flanked on the stage in Davos by more than a dozen leaders whose countries had agreed to be signatories.
—Mariam Khan, ABC News, 22 Jan. 2026
The letter has some 400 signatories representing 24 countries so far, according to Fortune.
—Joe Wilkins Published Jan 22, Futurism, 22 Jan. 2026
Some of the most notable signatories include Israel, Argentina, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and major Middle Eastern powers including Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for signatory
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 23 Jan. 2026
Trump was flanked on the stage in Davos by more than a dozen leaders whose countries had agreed to be signatories.
—Mariam Khan, ABC News, 22 Jan. 2026
The letter has some 400 signatories representing 24 countries so far, according to Fortune.
—Joe Wilkins Published Jan 22, Futurism, 22 Jan. 2026
Some of the most notable signatories include Israel, Argentina, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and major Middle Eastern powers including Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 22 Jan. 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 28 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
