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
Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 24 Aug. 2025
Making the right call means exercising expert judgment, which means more than just following the rules.
—David Autor, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2025
George Laws Garcia, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2025
Government civil cases and class action lawsuits are common means to protect consumers’ rights when encountering false advertising, discrepancy and any other violation.
—Tina Chen, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2025
There aren’t many actors, after all, who can convincingly play both sad-sack real estate salesman Shelly Levene in a Broadway production of Glengarry Glen Ross and a lean, mean killing machine.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mean
Verb
That meant two more playoff berths were available entering the regular-season finale.
—Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 24 Aug. 2025
Making the right call means exercising expert judgment, which means more than just following the rules.
—David Autor, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2025
Noun
It should be determined by the people, through democratic means — not symbolic concerts.
—George Laws Garcia, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2025
Government civil cases and class action lawsuits are common means to protect consumers’ rights when encountering false advertising, discrepancy and any other violation.
—Tina Chen, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Down these mean streets of Bakersfield, California, a woman must go, who is not herself mean, who is neither tarnished (well, a little self-admittedly tarnished) nor afraid.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2025
There aren’t many actors, after all, who can convincingly play both sad-sack real estate salesman Shelly Levene in a Broadway production of Glengarry Glen Ross and a lean, mean killing machine.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mean
Verb
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However, the move toward Beijing does not signify a fundamental reshaping of India’s relationships in the Indo-Pacific, experts said.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
20 Aug. 2025
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Tech leaders like Amazon and Nvidia are investing heavily in AI (paywall) for healthcare, signifying a larger commitment to improving patient care and operational efficiency.—
Trushant Mehta,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In a playoff format where every point matters, Chastain’s approach should pay dividends.—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
25 Aug. 2025
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From there, create a list of qualities that matter outside of work.—
Sho Dewan,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Instead of selling reactors, Oklo intends to provide electricity through long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs), overseeing operations from construction to output.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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That said, when asked about their five-year plans, more family offices intended to increase rather than decrease their allocations to private equity and other private assets.—
Hayley Cuccinello,
CNBC,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Maxwell pleads ignorance about Epstein's $30 million transfers Blanche asked Maxwell about banking records indicating that Epstein sent her or her entities about $30 million in money over several years.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
23 Aug. 2025
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That indicates the disease is spreading in the community.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
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By the time he was traded in the middle of his fourth year, his numbers had dropped off dramatically.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Aug. 2025
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Bobby's death came in the middle of a major contagion crisis that pulled the 118 fire department into fatal throes.—
Mekishana Pierre,
EW.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Later, once a series of gory doings propels matters into prime horror territory, the movie takes an altogether different path, a supernatural one.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
8 Aug. 2025
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But the budget problem is not just Springfield’s doing.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2025
Noun
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Newsweek has contacted the U.S. State Department as well as Iran and Israel's foreign ministries for comment.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Aug. 2025
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The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas has temporarily removed a priest from ministry while investigations are conducted into allegations of questionable behavior, the archbishop announced this week.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
16 Aug. 2025
Noun
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If DeSoto plays for another state championship this fall, that’ll be 16 more, giving him basically four seasons’ worth of games in three years.—
Sam Khan Jr,
New York Times,
19 Aug. 2025
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Thieves smashed open a case with an emerald necklace worth $125,000 and a case containing around $750,000 worth of Rolex watches, police said.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
19 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mean. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.
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