Synonyms of mean
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as in to signify 
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as in to matter
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as in to intend
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as in to indicate
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as in middle
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as in doing
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as in ministry
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as in worth
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as in average
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as in low
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as in stingy
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as in cruel
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as in dirty
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as in inferior
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as in awesome
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as in dilapidated
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as in lame
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1
as in to signify
to communicate or convey (as an idea) to the mind
the national anthem means various things to various people
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Relevance
2
as in to matter
to be of importance
your presence at my graduation would mean a lot to me
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3
as in to intend
to have in mind as a purpose or goal
I mean to win this race
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1
as in middle
a middle point between extremes
that candidate's moderate views were seen as the mean that voters were looking for
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2
as in doing
means plural
an action planned or taken to achieve a desired result
won the competition by fair and honest means
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3
as in ministry
means plural
something used to achieve an end
the ends don't justify the means
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4
as in worth
means plural
the total of one's money and property
a woman of considerable means
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as in average
being about midway between extremes of amount or size
for the state of Florida, what is the mean number of sunny days per month?
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1
as in low
belonging to the class of people of low social or economic rank
Alexander Hamilton seems to have had feelings of inferiority because of his mean origins
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2
as in stingy
giving or sharing as little as possible
a mean child who hoarded all her toys
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3
as in cruel
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it
a mean, embittered old woman who wanted company for her misery
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4
as in dirty
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency
a mean trick to play on a trusting person
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5
as in inferior
of little or less value or merit
it's no mean feat to memorize that long poem
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6
as in awesome
of the very best kind
I'm a mean dancer, so you could do worse than go to the prom with me
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7
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
he worked hard to escape the mean neighborhood of his youth
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8
as in lame
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
that was no mean stunt to pull off, especially with so little advance preparation
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mean
Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025
But being in a band means dealing with people, forming alliances, promotion.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 26 Sep. 2025
Andrew McGowan, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025
By all means, speak up and let these homophobic and xenophobic relatives know their posts have affected you.
—Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Sep. 2025
Nothing Harris says rivals or anonymous Biden aides is as mean as what Trump has said into microphones about Ron DeSantis.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mean
Verb
Here’s a guide to the other formats aside from VistaVision and what that means for the viewing experience.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025
But being in a band means dealing with people, forming alliances, promotion.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
Meanwhile, the rise of technology and television — both of which play major roles in the book — has institutionalized the cinematic means that the revolution once weaponized.
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025
By all means, speak up and let these homophobic and xenophobic relatives know their posts have affected you.
—Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Costarring Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley, Ed Westwick, Chace Crawford, and Taylor Momsen, the sudsy show depicted rich and young Manhattanites, who were the subject of a mean blogger's tales.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Sep. 2025
Nothing Harris says rivals or anonymous Biden aides is as mean as what Trump has said into microphones about Ron DeSantis.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mean
Verb
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His album, titled El Rey de Habana, signifies his shift away from what’s typically recognized as reparto, fusing R&B, Brazilian funk, Jersey club, Afrobeats, and reggaeton.—
Ana González Vilá,
Rolling Stone,
25 Sep. 2025
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The expansion signifies the airline's first international destinations.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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And always, the setting mattered.—
Dada Jovanovic,
ABC News,
28 Sep. 2025
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Support journalism that digs deeper into topics that matter most to Arkansans.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The proposal of a drone wall, which is particularly supported by Baltic and Eastern European states, is intended as both a deterrence and defensive barrier, as well as a way to pool resources to bolster Europe’s collective defense.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
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The outcome will help define the limits of executive discretion over funds Congress intended to be risk-based and politically neutral, with broad implications for federal-state relations and public safety.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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During the meeting, Dexter Brady, the housing authority's deputy director, indicated that a tentative refinancing deal for debt tied to the Madison Heights apartment complex has not been finalized.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Sep. 2025
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Comey’s former deputy Andrew McCabe, however, has indicated that Comey authorized the leak to a reporter.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The two massive tropical systems swirling off the Southeast coast are a stark reminder that the potential government shutdown looms during the middle of the Atlantic hurricane season.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
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The pair has currently scored 33/50 total, placing them towards the middle of the leaderboard.—
Latoya Gayle,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The scrapbook wasn't her mother's doing, but rather the work of her older sister.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
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Whatever, Dever quickly recanted her earlier precise testimony to the FBI about the sinister doings by those two dodgy cops behind Karen Read’s SUV.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Newsweek has emailed both the Russian defense and foreign ministries for comment.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
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The points can be redeemed to order more advanced drones on a digital marketplace known as Brave1, which Fedorov’s ministry oversees.—
Simon Shuster,
Time,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The buoyant stock market is propping up the net worth of the wealthy, fueling their own spending, which in turn has helped propel economic growth, Roach at LPL Financial said.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
28 Sep. 2025
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Gen Xers ages 45 to 54 had a median net worth of about $247,000 in 2022, according to the federal Survey of Consumer Finances.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
27 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mean. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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