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 Handshakes and High Fives The Dodgers have become MLB’s totem for a salary cap. — Levi Weaver, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026 The Keeper collar, one of the brand’s bestsellers, can be reconfigured with different totems and tassels, while Moubayed expects the Totem chain to be another strong performer. — Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 15 Sep. 2026 If the likes of Richter, Immendorff, and Polke were established totems of German art when Koether was starting out, there were also younger figures in the limelight. — Barry Schwabsky, ARTnews.com, 8 Sep. 2026 Making the film made Wishnow rethink what the function of a critic is, especially in how Christgau describes what the two core totems of criticism are. — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for totem
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totem
  1. symbol
  2. emblem
  3. logo
  4. hallmark
Noun
  • In late August, a symbol of hate was unfurled in downtown Orlando.
    — Linda Chapin, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Nowadays, scarecrows are a global symbol of the harvest season.
    — Victoria Hoffmann, Christian Science Monitor, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of symbol
Noun
  • Eventually, allegory overwhelms dramaturgy, with a group of soccer hooligans—emblems of the volatility of men under threat—playing a pivotal role in Leo’s end.
    — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The ghoul had become an emblem of desecration, a predator violating the boundary between life and death, a corruptor of what was wholesome and decent.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of emblem
Noun
  • The company also revived the backlight in the Apple logo on the laptop’s lid.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The Jelly and Cage sandals from SS26, as well as the Aura loafer from Rider’s debut spring 2026 collection with a small Triomphe logo in a wide range of colors, are among bestsellers, Merle says.
    — Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of logo
Noun
  • The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for nine consecutive weeks, became an instant hallmark of the mid-2000s, and cemented Ne-Yo’s brand of heartfelt autofiction.
    — Clover Hope, Pitchfork, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Linvill said a hallmark of Storm-1516 videos is the use of real actors whose faces are swapped using AI to look like someone else.
    — Shannon Bond, NPR, 24 Oct. 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 2 Nov. 2026.

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