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 Dragons and zebras joined the lions and walruses, as did a robot and a totem built with prosthetic legs. — Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 18 June 2026 To drive home the importance of the Celine jean, Rider stacked them, totem-like and almost to the ceiling, in the company’s Paris headquarters. — Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 17 June 2026 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 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 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
  • When war finally brought slavery to an end, this distorted view of Washington ceased to be of use as a political emblem.
    — John Garrison Marks, The Atlantic, 25 July 2026
  • Similar traditions appear elsewhere in East Asia, where dragons often serve as guardians, bringers of good fortune, or emblems of imperial authority.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 July 2026
Definition of emblem
Noun
  • In The News A year after Cracker Barrel’s leadership was vilified online for changing the restaurant’s longtime logo to get rid of the old man leaning on a barrel, the CEO who was at the helm during the change is stepping down.
    — Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • With its distinctive, and complex, twin-star-design LED headlights, accentuated by lovely rose-gold detailing and more illuminated Maybach logos, the car does have a stronger, more individual face.
    — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 29 July 2026
Definition of logo
Noun
  • Her essay is the quintessential death by a thousand withering cuts that is a noxious hallmark of academia.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Ambiguity—vague language, mixed messaging, frequent policy shifts—has been a hallmark of the United States’ approach to the war in Iran.
    — Erik Lin-Greenberg, Foreign Affairs, 31 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 3 Aug. 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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