American Sign Language
noun
: a sign language that is used especially for communication by and with deaf people and is the formal sign language of the United States and English-speaking Canada and also serves as the basis for various sign languages in other countries (such as Thailand, Nigeria, and Bolivia)
—abbreviation ASL
Note: American Sign Language was developed in Hartford, Connecticut in the early 1800s.
Examples of American Sign Language in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Koko the gorilla and Washoe the chimpanzee learned signs that were adapted from American Sign Language.
—
Kate Wong, Scientific American, 20 Mar. 2025
The Emmy-winning drama series will now be available to stream on Max in American Sign Language (ASL), as performed by CODA and Dancing With the Star's Daniel Durant and Leila Hanaumi.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 19 Mar. 2025
But then something incredible happened - instead of just waving hello, Buzz started communicating with him in American Sign Language, creating an unforgettable moment for both Jabez and his sister Everlyn.
—Ronnie Li, USA TODAY, 26 Feb. 2025
The March 1 production will include American Sign Language interpretation, the release said.
ECC Arts Center is partnering with the ECC Wellness Team, Ecker Center for Behavior Health and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to provide emotional and counseling support to attendees.
—Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for American Sign Language
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.
Kate Wong, Scientific American, 20 Mar. 2025
The Emmy-winning drama series will now be available to stream on Max in American Sign Language (ASL), as performed by CODA and Dancing With the Star's Daniel Durant and Leila Hanaumi.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 19 Mar. 2025
But then something incredible happened - instead of just waving hello, Buzz started communicating with him in American Sign Language, creating an unforgettable moment for both Jabez and his sister Everlyn.
—Ronnie Li, USA TODAY, 26 Feb. 2025
The March 1 production will include American Sign Language interpretation, the release said.
ECC Arts Center is partnering with the ECC Wellness Team, Ecker Center for Behavior Health and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to provide emotional and counseling support to attendees.
—Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for American Sign Language
Cite this Entry
“American Sign Language.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/American%20Sign%20Language. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share