as in symbol
a device, design, or figure used as an identifying mark
the bald eagle, that universally recognized totem of our country
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of totem
As for accessories, Johansson made her totem necklace — with aquamarine, brown moonstone and orange moonstone — by David Webb the statement jewelry piece of her look.
—
Julia Teti, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2025
Thanks to the airtight synchronicity between its literal value as a totem tying the Friedkens to Anna’s death, but as a symbol of the sins and circumstantial mistakes that emanate from a family broken by a cutthroat society.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
These twin totems of American indie film remain a huge part of Redford’s legacy, not to mention an ode to his commitment to fostering the future of the medium.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2025
Ketchikan adds totem heritage, creek-side boardwalks and salmon runs right through town.
—Jill Schildhouse, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for totem
Julia Teti, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2025
Thanks to the airtight synchronicity between its literal value as a totem tying the Friedkens to Anna’s death, but as a symbol of the sins and circumstantial mistakes that emanate from a family broken by a cutthroat society.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
These twin totems of American indie film remain a huge part of Redford’s legacy, not to mention an ode to his commitment to fostering the future of the medium.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2025
Ketchikan adds totem heritage, creek-side boardwalks and salmon runs right through town.
—Jill Schildhouse, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for totem
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totem
Noun
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The move all but guaranteed more travel chaos heading into the weekend, a potent symbol of the shutdown’s cascading effects.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
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Others wore keffiyehs, a symbol of Palestinian resistance, nodding to an issue that inspired many of Mamdani’s supporters and was in turn weaponized by his critics.—
Alex J. Rouhandeh,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Through these stories, audiences learned to view extravagant dwellings as not just emblems of individual success but portals into a fantasy life.—
Kim Hew-Low,
The Atlantic,
10 Nov. 2025
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The emblem took its present form in 1868.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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LogoPowered byScale logo At least 114 people have died and 127 remain missing in central Philippines after a typhoon caused destruction and widespread flooding, which local officials suggest could have been prevented if not for persistent graft in flood-control projects.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
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This gray panel matches the collar and Wings logo, and the rest of the upper is rendered in white and off-white.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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For example, in one platform’s presentation, none of the content demonstrated was localized into English, and video clips shown were not stripped of the extensive Japanese text overlays that are a hallmark of Japanese television, despite the platform being meant for international producers.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
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Many of the hallmarks of this longer-term occupation were taken from the blueprint Israel had first sketched out in 1956.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Totem.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totem. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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