as in implies
formal, of a word
to make you think about (something) in addition to the word's meaning
The word "childlike" connotes innocence. For her, the word "family" connotes love and comfort.
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Recent Examples of connotes
At its core, reading a physical book, particularly a novel, connotes more than just taste, intellect, or even a desire to pass your time in a more productive way than doomscrolling.
—
Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 9 Mar. 2026
That kind of reaction no doubt connotes intimate familiarity with the material, but the screenplay — by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, based on Holzman’s book for the show from the novel by Gregory Maguire — earns its emotions with more sincerity than schmaltz.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 18 Nov. 2025
As for men, women prefer a financially stronger individual which connotes safety and security.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Meta’s decision to remove its most egregious guidelines only after facing media scrutiny connotes an approach to AI development that prioritizes policy opacity and public relations over transparency and safety as core values.
—Douglas B. Laney, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Moldings of spring flowers spangle the wall to the left of the entryway, representing the more volatile top notes, while bronze work connotes middle notes and travertine, base notes.
—Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 9 Mar. 2026
That kind of reaction no doubt connotes intimate familiarity with the material, but the screenplay — by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, based on Holzman’s book for the show from the novel by Gregory Maguire — earns its emotions with more sincerity than schmaltz.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 18 Nov. 2025
As for men, women prefer a financially stronger individual which connotes safety and security.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Meta’s decision to remove its most egregious guidelines only after facing media scrutiny connotes an approach to AI development that prioritizes policy opacity and public relations over transparency and safety as core values.
—Douglas B. Laney, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Moldings of spring flowers spangle the wall to the left of the entryway, representing the more volatile top notes, while bronze work connotes middle notes and travertine, base notes.
—Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for connotes
Verb
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Nordic skiing, as its name implies, is the furthest thing from an American sport.—
Bill McKibben,
New Yorker,
24 Mar. 2026
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The exhibit is an homage to chess, and all of the possibilities and complications the game implies.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In Islamic ethical and theological usage, amanat denotes not only material custody but also the faithful discharge of obligations and promises, and betrayal of amanat is viewed as a serious ethical failing.—
Anel Rakhimzhanova,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2026
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An asterisk denotes that the speech was not technically a State of the Union address.—
Bebe Hodges,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Every bottle of Château Angélus bears an image of a church bell, which signifies the three churches that surround the natural amphitheater of the estate’s principal vineyard.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
19 Mar. 2026
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Whether stealing a kiss, striking a pose, or simply flashing a smile, nothing signifies a successful soiree quite like a collection of lasting memories, spontaneously snapped from within the VF photo booth.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Even if the strait opened now, all that oil still needs to make its way through the refineries, which means prices wouldn't immediately drop.—
Carmela Karcher,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
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Mahan’s lackluster standing puts pressure on him to come up with something new to appeal to voters, even if that means breaking with Democrats.—
Barnini Chakraborty,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Connotes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/connotes. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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