signify
verb
sig·ni·fy
ˈsig-nə-ˌfī 
signified; signifying
2
: to show especially by a conventional token (such as word, signal, or gesture)
1
: to have significance : matter
… it will not much signify what one wears …—
Jane Austen
Jane Austen2
: to engage in signifying
Did you know?
Signify basically means "to make a sign or signal". One of its synonyms is indicate; the index finger is the finger you point with, so to indicate is essentially to point to something. Significant means "important" and significance means "importance;" similarly, insignificant means "unimportant" and insignificance means "lack of importance".
Examples of signify in a Sentence
A check mark next to your name signifies that you have met all the requirements.
The recent decline of the stock market does not necessarily signify the start of a recession.
He gave her a diamond ring to signify his love.
Whether he agrees or not does not signify.
Recent Examples on the Web
In collaboration with global theatrical partners, the new premium large format (PLF) certification signifies a theater meets rigorous technical standards for the ultimate moviegoing experience.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 16 Apr. 2026
In semiconductor technology, smaller nanometer sizes signify more compact transistor designs, which lead to greater processing power and efficiency.
—Dylan Butts, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
Because Zendaya plays young women, these women still have parents, and the actors cast to play her parents—which is to say her history, the expository reasons for her Blackness—typically flit in and out of the background, there to signify and do nothing else.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2026
Gaps between research and product As 420 – signifying April 20, a day celebrating cannabis culture – approaches each year, public attention turns toward the legal status of cannabis.
—Lucy Xiaolu Wang, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for signify
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Glenn Garner, Deadline, 16 Apr. 2026
In semiconductor technology, smaller nanometer sizes signify more compact transistor designs, which lead to greater processing power and efficiency.
—Dylan Butts, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
Because Zendaya plays young women, these women still have parents, and the actors cast to play her parents—which is to say her history, the expository reasons for her Blackness—typically flit in and out of the background, there to signify and do nothing else.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2026
Gaps between research and product As 420 – signifying April 20, a day celebrating cannabis culture – approaches each year, public attention turns toward the legal status of cannabis.
—Lucy Xiaolu Wang, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for signify
Cite this Entry
“Signify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/signify. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
signify
verb
sig·ni·fy
ˈsig-nə-ˌfī
signified; signifying
2
: to show especially by a sign : make known
signified their agreement by nodding
3
: to have importance : matter
doesn't signify much what you wear
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