connotation

noun

Definition of connotationnext
as in implication
an idea or quality that is suggested by a word or thing a word with positive connotations The word "childlike" has connotations of innocence.

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of connotation The Benefits of Downsizing Your Home and Belongings Downsizing doesn’t have to carry a negative connotation. — Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 7 July 2026 Just keep in mind that upside-down pineapples have certain connotations (IYKYK). — Rebecca Norris, InStyle, 5 July 2026 Richmond Richmond may not have the immediate colonial connotations of some of the other cities in Virginia, but one of the most significant speeches of the Revolutionary era happened right in downtown Richmond. — Heather Bien, Southern Living, 1 July 2026 Macchio’s other song picks all have references to religion or deities, whereas the Cohen song is entirely secular in nature, despite the connotations that have been placed on it by some performers as it has become popularized in recent years. — Chris Willman, Variety, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for connotation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for connotation
  1. implication
  2. sense
  3. meaning
  4. hint
  5. indication
  6. definition
  7. suggestion
  8. message
Noun
  • Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a potential 2028 presidential contender and Michigan resident, referenced the seat’s national implications, prompting cheers from the crowd.
    — Jacqueline Ganun, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Understanding when and why different species tolerate one another therefore has important implications for both conservation and public health.
    — Cyril Grueter, Scientific American, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of implication
Noun
  • What’s crucially lacking here is a particularly compelling sense of Reagan and Gorbachev as human characters.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
  • People think of intimacy in a romantic sense, but the relationships artists have with the people in their corner in the industry is also really intimate.
    — Cathy Applefeld Olson, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of sense
Noun
  • And as if there were any doubt about the meaning of the play and the foul, Cunningham cleared it up afterward.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • That description relies on a narrow meaning of identity, however.
    — Nicole M. Bennett, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of meaning
Noun
  • The models struck the same pose at the InStyle Awards in November 2021, reminding us that everything’s better with a hint of glimmer.
    — Grace Gavilanes, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026
  • But that news won’t capture eyeballs, so the media tend to focus on any hint of bad news.
    — Bill Conerly, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of hint
Noun
  • In about two short months, the NBA regular season will officially kick off, but if the volume of offseason golf is any indication, the competitiveness started well before that opening tip.
    — Omar Jimenez, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
  • On the right, Max Dowman, still just 16, could well start the opening game, if pre-season friendlies are any indication, as Bukayo Saka continues to work back to full fitness from an Achilles issue.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of indication
Noun
  • Highly adaptable professionals often feel stuck despite successful career changes, a phenomenon stemming from carrying outdated definitions of success into new roles.
    — Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • No political spin, just a focus on the numbers from governments’ own reports and how their unique accounting rules and financial definitions are obscuring the full truth of their financial story.
    — Sheila Weinberg, Baltimore Sun, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of definition
Noun
  • Hotel Moraine's main food and drink offering is sharing great suggestions of where to dine off property (Nookie's and Eddie's at the Silver Sands Motel, and North Fork Table and Inn near Southold were my favorites).
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Most recently, Ghana pushed for the situation in South Africa to be included in the agenda of an upcoming African Union meeting, a suggestion which was rejected by the continental body.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of suggestion
Noun
  • Cancer June 21 – July 22 A clear message can carry both warmth and authority today.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • These messages were a launching pad for the spread of inaccurate data, particularly claims about an 82% risk of miscarriage associated with Covid-19 vaccines.
    — Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of message

Browse Nearby Words

connoisseurs
connotation
connotations
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Cite this Entry

“Connotation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/connotation. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on connotation

Nglish: Translation of connotation for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about connotation

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