1
as in moniker
a word or combination of words by which a person or thing is regularly known
"soul" is the common denotation for that mysterious force within the human body that gives it life and yet is separate from it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in meaning
the idea that is conveyed or intended to be conveyed to the mind by language, symbol, or action
although most people exercise for fitness, the denotation of the term "fitness" varies from exerciser to exerciser
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of denotation
Controlled denotations were conducted Sunday at the site to dispose of hazardous materials, the agency said.
—
Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2025
How much control, at this point, the subcommittee can exert over emoji denotation and connotation isn’t clear.
—Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 29 June 2025
But the New Zealand Department of Conservation lists the reptiles as at risk — relict, a denotation reserved for species that declined to a small population but have since stabilized.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 22 July 2024
Language, unlike code, has connotations and denotations that make organizing it for human consumption a much more complex task, says Dr. Harbin.
—Leonardo Bevilacqua, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 June 2024
What does 4/20 mean? April 20, or 4/20 in its calendar denotation, is a holiday celebrated by many weed-smokers both in the United States and around the globe.
—Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2023
Cleverly staging appearance as disappearance, connotation serves as denotation.
—Jerrine Tan, Wired, 4 Aug. 2022
Deaths are included if a person has a positive COVID-19 test and a death certificate denotation, a record of symptoms consistent with COVID-19 that progress from illness to death, or a determination by the medical examiner’s office that there is no other cause of death, Trimble said.
—Dallas News, 5 Aug. 2020
Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2025
How much control, at this point, the subcommittee can exert over emoji denotation and connotation isn’t clear.
—Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 29 June 2025
But the New Zealand Department of Conservation lists the reptiles as at risk — relict, a denotation reserved for species that declined to a small population but have since stabilized.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 22 July 2024
Language, unlike code, has connotations and denotations that make organizing it for human consumption a much more complex task, says Dr. Harbin.
—Leonardo Bevilacqua, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 June 2024
What does 4/20 mean? April 20, or 4/20 in its calendar denotation, is a holiday celebrated by many weed-smokers both in the United States and around the globe.
—Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2023
Cleverly staging appearance as disappearance, connotation serves as denotation.
—Jerrine Tan, Wired, 4 Aug. 2022
Deaths are included if a person has a positive COVID-19 test and a death certificate denotation, a record of symptoms consistent with COVID-19 that progress from illness to death, or a determination by the medical examiner’s office that there is no other cause of death, Trimble said.
—Dallas News, 5 Aug. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for denotation
Noun
-
This fall, Zardoya stepped out on her own, releasing her solo debut album, Melt, under the moniker Not for Radio.—
Julyssa Lopez,
Rolling Stone,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The hunky leading man was happy to take on the moniker.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
But Bode's pointed delivery, and the reaction of the crowd, suggested that the comment carried an evident double meaning in the current political climate.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Einstein himself viewed it as a mathematical curiosity that likely had no physical meaning, but others disagreed.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Similar nomenclature slide may have brought us the yam name that way.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Loomis categorized the different types of brain waves into what became known as sleep states, and created a nomenclature to describe the phases of unconsciousness.—
Yasemin Saplakoglu,
Quanta Magazine,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
These swatches are arranged at different angles to create a sense of chaos, and the pom at the top of the bonnet is replicated as a lace attachment.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
11 Nov. 2025
-
If the coach decides to break that cycle, the Giants and their dynamic young quarterback should make all the sense in the world to him.—
Ian O'Connor,
New York Times,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
One of its earliest directors spent outrageous sums on art, believing the expenditures would help burnish the orphanage’s name and lure generous donors (who remained scarce).—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Speaking on The David Rubenstein Show with the private-equity billionaire of the same name, Carlyle co-founder David Rubenstein asked the investment bank chief about the current national debt level, which stands at a whopping $38 trillion.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
But for all its significance, this disruption wasn’t entirely unexpected.—
Peter D. Feaver,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Nov. 2025
-
In an interview with the lyrics platform Genius, Skrilla explains the number’s significance in classically opaque rapper terms.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The defeat has all but ended TCU’s hopes of reaching the Big 12 title game.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Guardiola’s lads look back to their best in the early months of this season after the extended wobble in the previous one that wrecked their hopes of a fifth straight domestic title.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
12 Nov. 2025
-
Reuters could not independently verify the allegations beyond the contents of the indictment.—
Reuters 17 hr ago,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Denotation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/denotation. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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