totem

noun

ˈtō-təm How to pronounce totem (audio)
Definition of totemnext
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

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 totem The company’s new label, King Snedley, defied every marketing totem and tradition ever created by the beer industry. — Bill Swank, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 June 2026 Sculptures, totems and masks, skateboards, clothing, boomboxes, paintings, drawings, and a 1963 Buick Special, will be on view. — Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 4 June 2026 Trader Sam’s took its cues heavily from the Adventureland attraction, its bar flanked by tiki totems with slowly wandering eyes. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2026 Ketchikan, Alaska, is known as the totem capital of the world and is home to one of the largest collections of standing totem poles anywhere. — Josh Rivera, USA Today, 13 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for totem
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totem
  1. symbol
  2. emblem
  3. logo
  4. hallmark
Noun
  • The city’s income inequality has also widened, and for Jean-François Lejeune, a professor at the University of Miami School of Architecture, the new crop of luxury buildings has become a potent symbol of that growing disparity.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
  • The finding soon became a national symbol of the region’s ancient history, and is a regular fixture of local souvenir shops, postage stamps, and the Abruzzo coat of arms.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of symbol
Noun
  • The law was a compromise — lawmakers passed it in exchange for letting Georgia remove the Confederate battle emblem from its state flag.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
  • Ferrari further modified the emblem by turning the horse’s tail upward to symbolize luck and victory—a notable departure from the downward-pointing tail of Baracca’s prancing stallion.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 July 2026
Definition of emblem
Noun
  • Leslie’s targets had included the Today and NBC logos, fake fruit on set, and stage manager Dave Auerbach.
    — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 22 July 2026
  • Missing link In this photo illustration, the Anthropic logo is seen on a smartphone with a Claude Mythos logo in the background.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 22 July 2026
Definition of logo
Noun
  • The study concluded that the trial lacked the hallmarks of meaningful adversarial testing.
    — Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
  • Polka dots were one of the late Princess Diana’s most famous style hallmarks.
    — Marta Martínez Tato, Vanity Fair, 24 July 2026
Definition of hallmark

Browse Nearby Words

toted (up)
totem
totems
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Cite this Entry

“Totem.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totem. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on totem

Nglish: Translation of totem for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about totem

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