as in meaning
the idea that is conveyed or intended to be conveyed to the mind by language, symbol, or action
we should assume that the author is using the word in its ordinary signification
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of signification
More Samuel Corum/Getty Images The final version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4, contains signification revisions and rescissions to clean energy grant programs enacted as part of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
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Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 July 2025
William is studying Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and writing a thesis on the theory of signification.
—Cressida Leyshon, The New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2024
What once had been a multitude of beings with varying cultural and spiritual significations—not to mention consciousnesses of their own—became commodities that held value only when inserted into a by-now self-propelling and endlessly expanding market.
—Ben Ehrenreich, The New Republic, 10 May 2023
The apartment signs of L.A. announce location through flair, decadence, strangeness, absurdity, signification.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2022
But oranges, which were a delicacy that Leonardo may have seen firsthand at the table of the Duke of Milan, bore significance in the history of painting beyond their signification of luxury.
—Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 21 Apr. 2021
On March 25, the agency warned Pfizer (PFE) of signification violations at its Hospira facility in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, which makes sterile injectable medicines.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 1 Apr. 2020
Location accuracy improved from there on out, with a signification portion of the data from the remainder of the experiment being within three miles of the craft’s true location.
—Amber Jorgenson, Discover Magazine, 16 Jan. 2018
Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 July 2025
William is studying Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and writing a thesis on the theory of signification.
—Cressida Leyshon, The New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2024
What once had been a multitude of beings with varying cultural and spiritual significations—not to mention consciousnesses of their own—became commodities that held value only when inserted into a by-now self-propelling and endlessly expanding market.
—Ben Ehrenreich, The New Republic, 10 May 2023
The apartment signs of L.A. announce location through flair, decadence, strangeness, absurdity, signification.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2022
But oranges, which were a delicacy that Leonardo may have seen firsthand at the table of the Duke of Milan, bore significance in the history of painting beyond their signification of luxury.
—Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 21 Apr. 2021
On March 25, the agency warned Pfizer (PFE) of signification violations at its Hospira facility in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, which makes sterile injectable medicines.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 1 Apr. 2020
Location accuracy improved from there on out, with a signification portion of the data from the remainder of the experiment being within three miles of the craft’s true location.
—Amber Jorgenson, Discover Magazine, 16 Jan. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for signification
Noun
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For more than a month, grizzled, proud men — some in their 40s and many with gray dotted on their heads and splashed across beards — have marched out onto a practice field to prepare for a game with deep meaning.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Let’s go back to that opening section of the Enchiridion and unpack it a bit to truly grasp Epictetus’s meaning.—
Massimo Pigliucci,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In that sense, the film answers its own question.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
31 Jan. 2026
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To get a better sense of that, CBS News Bay Area spoke with Arkesha Baquet, co-owner of Li'l Dizzy's Café in New Orleans, home of Super Bowl LIX.—
Max Darrow,
CBS News,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The Heat are muddling along with a roster that isn’t good enough to do anything of significance, have no young player with obvious star upside, can’t create significant cap room for at least two more years and owe a future pick to the Hornets from the disastrous Terry Rozier trade.—
Nick Friedell,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
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February marks Black History Month, a time to examine historic monuments in Dallas that still hold significance for the city's African-American community.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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That narrative continued Tuesday despite Sarandos’s best efforts to describe the reality of Netflix’s content slate.—
Liam Reilly,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The launch of the shampoo and conditioner also signal the company’s intentions to speak to consumers, as well as professional salons.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
3 Feb. 2026
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That responsibility cannot rest on good intentions alone.—
Miki Kapoor,
New York Daily News,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But the early response from the administration has been to claim that Pretti was brandishing the weapon, while FBI Director Kash Patel went so far as to suggest the presence of a gun at a rally could be evidence of malicious intent.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Jan. 2026
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The assault with intent to murder charge has a possible penalty of life in prison; the felony firearm has a two-year penalty, consecutive to any other charges.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Signification.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/signification. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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