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 careful
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 careful
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
Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 8 May 2025
That usually means a diet that includes a variety of food groups and macronutrients with a focus on whole, plant-based, and unprocessed foods, Bruno added.
—Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 8 May 2025
Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 9 May 2025
Chainalysis notes that regions like Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa are embracing USD stablecoins as a hedge against local monetary instability, offering a more reliable means of transacting and preserving value.
—Lawrence Wintermeyer, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
Jordan Moreau, Variety, 18 Apr. 2025
Instead, Jordan’s CGI Winklevoss stunt is distinguishable only by having one mean brother in a blue cap and a meaner brother in a red fedora.
—Armond White, National Review, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mean
Verb
Note that full containment doesn't mean the fire is completely out.
—Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 8 May 2025
That usually means a diet that includes a variety of food groups and macronutrients with a focus on whole, plant-based, and unprocessed foods, Bruno added.
—Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 8 May 2025
Noun
The short story was inspired by the ancient folkloric legend of the Golem, an anthropomorphic being usually made from clay or mud, brought to life by magical means to serve its creator.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 9 May 2025
Chainalysis notes that regions like Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa are embracing USD stablecoins as a hedge against local monetary instability, offering a more reliable means of transacting and preserving value.
—Lawrence Wintermeyer, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
Adjective
While the game is mean to be played in couch co-op with up to four people, one solo gamer can take control of 2-4 of the heroes and tackle missions just as easily.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 18 Apr. 2025
Instead, Jordan’s CGI Winklevoss stunt is distinguishable only by having one mean brother in a blue cap and a meaner brother in a red fedora.
—Armond White, National Review, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mean
Verb
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What started five years ago has now become a special ritual, carried out on birthdays, anniversaries, and other important occasions, signifying the strong connection between Olesya Pavlyuk and her husband, Filipp, who have been married for eight years.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
3 May 2025
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Andy Murray’s logo features his initials and the No. 77, signifying his 2013 Wimbledon win, the first by a British player in 77 years.—
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Support journalism that digs deeper into topics that matter most to Arkansans.—
Frank E. Lockwood,
Arkansas Online,
10 May 2025
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To Rossi, who was born in Mexico but works in the U.S. as an economist, the issues that matter most are immigration and the environment.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
10 May 2025
Verb
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More: Trump stops South Africa aid over land act intended to address apartheid legacy South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has disputed Trump's claims about land confiscation and discrimination against white South Africans.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
11 May 2025
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The winery includes two unexpectedly salient attractions intended to enhance wine tourism in Azerbaijan.—
Tom Mullen,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
Verb
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The drone attack on Port Sudan indicates a major shift in the two-year conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
4 May 2025
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White smoke from the roof of the Sistine Chapel indicates the election of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as Roman Pontiff with the name of Pope Francis I on March 13th, 2013, in Vatican City.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
3 May 2025
Noun
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There’s a cut in the middle of the video, which looks like a glitch; some people on the internet think it’s been faked.—
Jia Tolentino,
New Yorker,
3 May 2025
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Selles stood in the middle of the pitch, watching on as the away end danced to Gala’s Freed from Desire, soaking it all in, having completed the task of keeping the club in the Championship.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
Noun
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Which is just a reminder that every action of Mark Zuckerberg and Meta, including the name Meta, reveals the doings of a business that was never a monopoly, and that never saw itself as one. Follow me on Twitter.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
6 May 2025
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This is easier said than done—even under fire, there are bags of gear to be packed up and exit protocols to be adhered to—and part of the point is that, in most movies, the doing looks much too effortless.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
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An unnamed ministry spokesperson was cited as saying that Beijing had taken note of various statements by senior U.S. officials indicating a willingness to negotiate over tariffs.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 May 2025
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The Israeli foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the allegation by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, an international non-governmental group.—
Christopher Scicluna and Ilze Filks,
USA Today,
2 May 2025
Noun
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The statement came as China appeared to quietly start to exempt some U.S. goods from tariffs that likely cover around $40 billion worth of imports.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 May 2025
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In 2024, Bezos sold about $13.5 billion worth of Amazon shares, his first sale of the company’s stock since 2021, per CNBC.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
2 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mean. Accessed 15 May. 2025.
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