denoted; denoting; denotes
1
: to serve as an indication of : betoken
But as yet, no floating bough, no tern … to denote our proximity to land.—
Herman Melville
Herman Melville2
: to serve as an arbitrary mark for
red flares denoting danger
3
: to make known : announce
His crestfallen look denoted his distress.
4
a
: to serve as a linguistic expression of the notion of : mean
In the Southern U.S., the word "toboggan" denotes a stocking cap.
b
: to stand for : designate
the symbol / denotes "or," "and or," or "per"
An epiphany is, literally, a showing. In Christian terminology it denotes the showing of the infant Jesus to the three Magi.—David Lodge
David LodgeExamples of denote in a Sentence
The word “derby” can denote a horse race or a kind of hat.
Her death denoted the end of an era.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Yemeni Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for an airstrike launched at Israel, denoting their entry into the Iran war following weeks of holding out on attacks.
—Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2026
This wonderful organization was originally named Dumb Friends League to denote support for four-legged friends who cannot speak for themselves.
—Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
The twenty-four-hour temperature forecast is shown as a fluctuating black line tagged with icons denoting the weather every three hours.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2026
Rather than civic numbers, houses here are often identified by their color, position, or ceramic tiles denoting the family’s name.
—Kristina Kasparian, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for denote
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Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2026
This wonderful organization was originally named Dumb Friends League to denote support for four-legged friends who cannot speak for themselves.
—Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
The twenty-four-hour temperature forecast is shown as a fluctuating black line tagged with icons denoting the weather every three hours.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2026
Rather than civic numbers, houses here are often identified by their color, position, or ceramic tiles denoting the family’s name.
—Kristina Kasparian, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for denote
Cite this Entry
“Denote.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/denote. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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