1
as in emblem
a device, design, or figure used as an identifying mark
that ensign of tutorial authority, the hickory stick
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2
as in flag
a piece of cloth with a special design that is used as an emblem or for signaling
fittingly, the organization promoting the welfare of marine life features a dolphin on its ensign
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ensign
My dad was an ensign on the USS Pensacola for three years, three months and three days in the South Pacific.
—
Jim Martin, Denver Post, 26 May 2025
Othello star Jake Gyllenhaal’s backstage home-away-from-home in Broadway’s Barrymore theater is an extension of the Shakespearean world he’s been steeped in while developing his version of Iago, the duplicitous ensign to the titular Venetian army general played by Denzel Washington.
—Charlotte Collins, Architectural Digest, 24 Mar. 2025
Usually the obscure one is Othello’s ensign, Iago.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2025
The Shakespearian plot revolves around Othello as a military commander who is convinced that his wife has been unfaithful by his ensign, Iago.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ensign
Jim Martin, Denver Post, 26 May 2025
Othello star Jake Gyllenhaal’s backstage home-away-from-home in Broadway’s Barrymore theater is an extension of the Shakespearean world he’s been steeped in while developing his version of Iago, the duplicitous ensign to the titular Venetian army general played by Denzel Washington.
—Charlotte Collins, Architectural Digest, 24 Mar. 2025
Usually the obscure one is Othello’s ensign, Iago.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2025
The Shakespearian plot revolves around Othello as a military commander who is convinced that his wife has been unfaithful by his ensign, Iago.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ensign
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ensign
Noun
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Each coaster has an etching of something that is uniquely Louisville, from the city's skyline to its many pronunciations and the Fleur-de-lis emblem.—
Olivia Evans,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Nov. 2025
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His campaign emblem is a crane, symbolizing the construction boom of recent years.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Godard’s ode to American movies that required only a girl and a gun begat freak-flag-flying films like Slacker, which begat Linklater’s career, characterized by him following his own muse.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
31 Oct. 2025
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Following her passing, flags will be flown at half-mast for 30 days at government offices, state enterprises, and educational institutions, and government officials have been asked to wear mourning attire for a year, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The move all but guaranteed more travel chaos heading into the weekend, a potent symbol of the shutdown’s cascading effects.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
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Others wore keffiyehs, a symbol of Palestinian resistance, nodding to an issue that inspired many of Mamdani’s supporters and was in turn weaponized by his critics.—
Alex J. Rouhandeh,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Along with producers Gellar, Zhao and the Zuckermans, Dolly Parton is returning as an executive producer on the series after producing the original under her Sandollar banner.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
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The trade show’s organizer said the project stems from its expertise in the fragrance world with its banner Pitti Fragranze fair.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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LogoPowered byScale logo At least 114 people have died and 127 remain missing in central Philippines after a typhoon caused destruction and widespread flooding, which local officials suggest could have been prevented if not for persistent graft in flood-control projects.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
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This gray panel matches the collar and Wings logo, and the rest of the upper is rendered in white and off-white.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ensign.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ensign. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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