1
as in emblems
a device, design, or figure used as an identifying mark
the traditional physician's symbol of a staff entwined with a snake
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in signs
a written or printed mark that is meant to convey information to the reader
the symbol ¶ indicates where a new paragraph should begin symbols such as emoji that are used in texts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of symbols
Lana Lin
september 29, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
Beckett’s symbols of master and slave — the whip, the rope, the servant weighed down with baggage — are either mimed or cut and in doing so lose its real horror.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 29 Sep. 2025
The Anti-Defamation League has an online database of hate symbols and codes that parents and educators can use to familiarize themselves with.
—Jessica Seaman, Denver Post, 29 Sep. 2025
Designs are inspired by Bad Bunny's iconography, featuring cultural symbols like pavas (traditional hats worn by rural sugarcane farmers) and Monobloc chairs seen in everyday Puerto Rican life in backyards across the island—and featured on the cover of Debí Tirar Más Fotos.
—Cat Sposato, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2025
An endless stream of content parsed the meaning of the words and symbols on the bullet casings.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025
The player bet $5, hit spin and watched as the symbols flashed across the screen until a jackpot message appeared.
—Helena Wegner, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
Today, the English language and a Western education are fading as symbols of prestige.
—Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Kneecap had still planned to play October concerts in Canada, but they have been barred from entering the country, with a Canadian official accusing the group of amplifying political violence and displaying antisemitic symbols.
—Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
The image contains a private universe of symbols, our own mythology of characters.
—Lana Lin
september 29, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
Beckett’s symbols of master and slave — the whip, the rope, the servant weighed down with baggage — are either mimed or cut and in doing so lose its real horror.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 29 Sep. 2025
The Anti-Defamation League has an online database of hate symbols and codes that parents and educators can use to familiarize themselves with.
—Jessica Seaman, Denver Post, 29 Sep. 2025
Designs are inspired by Bad Bunny's iconography, featuring cultural symbols like pavas (traditional hats worn by rural sugarcane farmers) and Monobloc chairs seen in everyday Puerto Rican life in backyards across the island—and featured on the cover of Debí Tirar Más Fotos.
—Cat Sposato, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2025
An endless stream of content parsed the meaning of the words and symbols on the bullet casings.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025
The player bet $5, hit spin and watched as the symbols flashed across the screen until a jackpot message appeared.
—Helena Wegner, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
Today, the English language and a Western education are fading as symbols of prestige.
—Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Kneecap had still planned to play October concerts in Canada, but they have been barred from entering the country, with a Canadian official accusing the group of amplifying political violence and displaying antisemitic symbols.
—Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 26 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for symbols
Noun
-
Organized in drops, the collection celebrates the carefree spirit associated with the Vespa scooter and is rich in pieces intended to be layered and the brand’s signature emblems and graphics.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
27 Sep. 2025
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On this rainy August night, there were plenty of American accents to be heard in the arena; concertgoers were given lanyards with light-up emblems in the shape of cameras, which evoked the album title while also making everyone look like a tourist.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In addition to the cut-through traffic prohibitions for trucks on residential streets, city staff will work with the City Council on ordinance revisions to strengthen penalties on truck operators and owners who do not comply with signs and restrictions.—
Keith Matheny,
Freep.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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Fellow wide receivers Chris Marshall and Cam Bates came over to celebrate with Brown before realizing he was still hunched over the ball and showed no signs of getting up.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Opal symbolizes clarity, new beginnings, healing, and emotional equilibrium.—
Lian Brooks,
Glamour,
3 Oct. 2025
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The three-day-long Durga Puja festival recognizes the Hindu holiday, celebrating the spirit of the Hindu goddess Durga, who symbolizes divine energy and protective power.—
Gabrielle Gillette,
Oc Register,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The organization also consults school district websites and letters sent to school districts and corresponds with librarians, authors and teachers.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Over two decades after Joplin's passing, Laura opened up about her childhood and relationship with the vocalist in her 1992 book Love, Janis, which contained letters the singer had sent home.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Vladimir hints that the pair’s aww camaraderie may not survive another iteration of their Groundhog Day.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
2 Oct. 2025
-
That also hints to the possibility that the Palestinian Authority’s police – which has long been accused by Palestinians of working in concert with the Israelis to provide security in the West Bank – could take up this role.—
Asher Kaufman,
The Conversation,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
But worst of all is the knowledge that all of these terrors were trademarks of the asylums that stowed away those with mental health conditions well into the 20th century.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Disney still retains copyrights for later iterations of the characters, as well as trademarks, which vastly limit exploitation from competitors.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The series represents a new phase for Williams, taking creative control as a producer.—
H. Alan Scott,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The pay is so low because managers typically restrict those positions to part-time work, said SeAdoreia Brown, president of the AFSCME union chapter that represents the park aides.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Afro-Atlantic inspirations get a Gallic accent, with a menu retaining the tenets of Paris bistro and café fare, revisited with touches of the American South’s culinary hallmarks such as okra, pecans and corn.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
30 Sep. 2025
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Those infamous words are the hallmarks of a corrupt state.—
David French,
Mercury News,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Symbols.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/symbols. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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