signify

verb

sig·​ni·​fy ˈsig-nə-ˌfī 

signified; signifying

transitive verb

1

a

: to be a sign of : mean

b

: imply

2

: to show especially by a conventional token (such as word, signal, or gesture)

intransitive verb

1

: to have significance : matter

… it will not much signify what one wears …

—Jane Austen

2

: to engage in signifying

Did you know?

Signify basically means "to make a sign or signal". One of its synonyms is indicate; the index finger is the finger you point with, so to indicate is essentially to point to something. Significant means "important" and significance means "importance;" similarly, insignificant means "unimportant" and insignificance means "lack of importance".

Synonyms of signify

• mean
• matter
• weigh

Examples of signify in a Sentence

A check mark next to your name signifies that you have met all the requirements.

The recent decline of the stock market does not necessarily signify the start of a recession.

He gave her a diamond ring to signify his love.

Whether he agrees or not does not signify.

Recent Examples on the Web

What precisely is signified by these snippets, soundless aside from the moony Buddy Holly track playing over them, won’t become clear until the third act. —Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2025

Ahead of the panel, UTA creator and honest comic Jake Shane had just signed a TV deal with Hulu, which signifies a shift, Ahmed said. —Vogue Business, Vogue, 12 Nov. 2025

Two keys signifies an exceptional stay and three means a stay there is an extraordinary occasion. —Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025

The closure lasted roughly seven hours while crews reinstalled the historic archway that has signified the entrance to downtown Eagle for over half a century. —Rose Evans november 8, Idaho Statesman, 8 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English signifien, from Anglo-French signifier, from Latin significare to indicate, signify, from signum sign

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for signify

• abscissae
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi
• certify

Kids Definition

signify

verb

sig·​ni·​fy ˈsig-nə-ˌfī 

signified; signifying

1

: mean entry 2 sense 2, denote

2

: to show especially by a sign : make known

signified their agreement by nodding

3

: to have importance : matter

doesn't signify much what you wear