as in indicative
indicating something
his tendency to use weasel words is seen as a signifying character trait
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in meaning
to be of importance
never mind, as the color of the room doesn't signify in the least
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in denoting
to communicate or convey (as an idea) to the mind
the symbol failed to signify anything to me—until I realized that it was upside down
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in indicating
to serve as a sign or symptom of
the opening of the new mall signifies the city's overdue emergence from economic depression
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of signifying
Brent Lang, Variety, 6 Mar. 2026
Other songwriters might opt to wring notes of sadness from the whole squad getting hitched, but this one is winking at the listener, signifying the end of his seclusion in Europe and the embrace of fans who haven’t had an audience with him in a long time.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
After the conquest, Spaniards brought thousands of Native Americans back to Spain, their faces branded with marks of the Spanish crown, their owner’s name, or terms signifying their status.
—Geraldo Cadava, New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2026
They are seated in a front row of the House chamber floor, signifying their significant and unique role in stewarding the Constitution.
—Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
Southern Indiana, including Bloomington, Terre Haute and Columbus are under a level 3 category, signifying an enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms.
—Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 19 Feb. 2026
The 15-day festival commemorates the first new moon of the lunisolar calendar, signifying the arrival of spring.
—Ashley Opina, Twin Cities, 18 Feb. 2026
Or would there be a brass scale marking the 1849 beginning of the Gold Rush, or an antique gas pump signifying the 1956 development of interstate highways?
—Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 16 Feb. 2026
In 2023, the IOC voted in favor of adding flag football as an official Olympic sport set to debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, signifying just how broad its reach has become.
—Maura Carey, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
Reviews have been mixed, with some critics embracing Gyllenhaal’s bold vision and others dismissing it as a whole lot of sound and fury, signifying zilch.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 6 Mar. 2026
Other songwriters might opt to wring notes of sadness from the whole squad getting hitched, but this one is winking at the listener, signifying the end of his seclusion in Europe and the embrace of fans who haven’t had an audience with him in a long time.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
After the conquest, Spaniards brought thousands of Native Americans back to Spain, their faces branded with marks of the Spanish crown, their owner’s name, or terms signifying their status.
—Geraldo Cadava, New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2026
They are seated in a front row of the House chamber floor, signifying their significant and unique role in stewarding the Constitution.
—Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
Southern Indiana, including Bloomington, Terre Haute and Columbus are under a level 3 category, signifying an enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms.
—Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 19 Feb. 2026
The 15-day festival commemorates the first new moon of the lunisolar calendar, signifying the arrival of spring.
—Ashley Opina, Twin Cities, 18 Feb. 2026
Or would there be a brass scale marking the 1849 beginning of the Gold Rush, or an antique gas pump signifying the 1956 development of interstate highways?
—Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 16 Feb. 2026
In 2023, the IOC voted in favor of adding flag football as an official Olympic sport set to debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, signifying just how broad its reach has become.
—Maura Carey, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for signifying
Adjective
-
Food and drink Though many larger chain hotels often defer to European cuisine to be indicative of high culture, SEA wisely does the opposite.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Mar. 2026
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One specimen examined by Brochu’s team displayed multiple, partially healed jaw injuries indicative of a brawl with a fellow ambush predator.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Each of the bottom seven teams drew last weekend, meaning that, still, just three points separate Leeds in 15th and West Ham in 18th, with Burnley and Wolves cut adrift at the bottom.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
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What the data show—and what everyone has seen with our own eyes—is what we social scientists call a psychogenic epidemic, a phenomenon that causes tremendous suffering but has no organic cause, meaning the onset is social or psychological, not biological.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Rather than civic numbers, houses here are often identified by their color, position, or ceramic tiles denoting the family’s name.—
Kristina Kasparian,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Mar. 2026
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Without a letter denoting a political party next to their name on the ballot, independent candidates have historically gotten lost in the mix.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The release also said FBI agents found evidence at a Denton cemetery indicating a coffin had been removed from a mausoleum.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
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Watermelon Pictures opens historical epic Palestine ’36 by Annemarie Jacir at the Angelika in NYC with early numbers/tracking indicating a solid $30,000 weekend.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center plans to incorporate bird-friendly glass, a move aimed at reducing deadly collisions with reflective surfaces.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
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The soft glow of lanterns against ancient mounds turns a seemingly simple walk into a reflective, cinematic journey through American history.—
Rafael Peña,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Mettler-Toledo, which manufactures lab instruments and weighing technology, provides school expenses as part of its expatriate and international benefits package for some senior execs.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
19 Mar. 2026
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The European Union was weighing capping natural gas prices to curb a jump in electricity costs.—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Futures market pricing is implying almost no chance of a rate cut, according to the CME Group's FedWatch gauge.—
Jessica Dickler,
CNBC,
12 Mar. 2026
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The Tab key now just shows a symbol implying that function, rather than the word.—
Joe Osborne,
PC Magazine,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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However, there is a massive gulf of games played between them (Knueppel has played in 13 more games), and a tiebreaker of the Hornets' games mattering far more than the Mavericks games would likely tip the conversation anyway.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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Psychologists, sociologists, and philosophers vary in their definitions of mattering, but at its core, mattering is the feeling that we are valued and have value to add to the world.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Signifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/signifying. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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