signals 1 of 2

plural of signal
1
as in flags
an object intended to give public notice or warning stop signs are signals for vehicles to come to a full stop—not suggestions for slowing down, as some drivers seem to think

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2
as in gestures
a movement of the body or limbs that expresses or emphasizes an idea or feeling quietly waiting for the signal to advance

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signals

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of signal
as in motions
to direct or notify by a movement or gesture signaled the oncoming traffic to stop while the wrecked car was being towed away

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of signals
Noun
There’s also the regulatory DNA that controls gene activity, along with the signals that help determine what should and shouldn’t be included in mature messenger RNAs produced by genes. John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 9 Sep. 2026 Facilitating rapid response to shifting market signals, Brandix has built a production ecosystem that goes from raw materials to retail-ready garments, centralizing capabilities for agility. Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2026 Finding future signals of the sort will require upgrades to the sensitivity of detectors like LIGO. Robert Lea, Space.com, 9 Sep. 2026 For older adults whose thirst signals have quieted with age, that visual check can be especially reassuring. Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 8 Sep. 2026 Getting around interference The biggest technical hurdle in spectrum sharing is interference – what happens when two signals overlap and scramble each other, like two people shouting different things in your ear at the same time. Aylin Yener, The Conversation, 8 Sep. 2026 To trace these mutations, researchers typically must painstakingly search through billions of data points to search for signals, but AlphaGenome Atlas could offload a lot of that work. Peter Hall, Scientific American, 8 Sep. 2026 Sponsored telecasting means free, over-the-air telecasts—the kind that were commonplace before cable television, when people placed antennas on their televisions or roofs to pick up signals from a handful of channels. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 8 Sep. 2026 Markey's win comes amid a slew of losses for Democratic incumbents during recent primaries and signals how age has become a divisive factor among the party. Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
Typography signals credibility before the eye lands on content. Priya Gill, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026 The report’s conclusion speculates that keeping things private, even innocuous ones, signals secretiveness. Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026 The plan signals a business that intends to compete beyond its home market rather than defend a lead at home. K.h. Koehler, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026 New York Fashion Week always signals the end of one’s summer vacationing, and the spring 2027 shows are now officially underway in the Big Apple. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 9 Sep. 2026 Even his personal admission, from early in our interview, signals that Fern approaches his art with a transparent vulnerability. David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026 The Submersive announcement, with its 2027 Austin opening, signals that new concepts are being planned on a multi-year timeline, not just a pop-up cycle. Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2026 And then there is Affleck’s son Atticus, who plays Caleb in a mesmerizing performance that signals the birth of yet another acting star in the family. Pete Hammond, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2026 Ultimately, this research signals a broader shift in the role of diet within healthcare. Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 5 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for signals
Noun
  • Fans decked in the team’s iconic red and carrying its flags lined the streets and grandstands, pushing and cheering their team on.
    Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The government had declared Monday an official day of mourning and ordered flags at government offices lowered to half-staff.
    ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • These have never been simply styles, but responses to conditions that demanded other forms, other gestures, other ways of seeing and saying.
    Alessia Glaviano, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
  • If physical gestures serve our relatives just fine, why did our own branch of the family tree gradually favor biological changes in our brains and anatomy that permitted our characteristic complexities in language and precision in speech?
    Mike McRae September 02, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Luz, the group’s search leader and spokesperson for the day, immediately motions with her hand for the group to drive forward.
    Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • Tentative signs of improvement emerged in May, June and July, when border crossings picked up slightly, the agency reported.
    Rio Yamat, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Next, another set of no-parking signs went up and came down (except for several that were mistakenly left up), with no work having been done.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Picture a doorman who checks your ID with great care, then waves you into any apartment in the building.
    Julian Durand, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The Spa At the beach-level spa, the windows were left wide open during my 60-minute Salt Air Reset massage, making all-natural birdsong and waves the soundtrack of my treatment.
    Katie Nanton, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2026

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“Signals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/signals. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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