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A signatory puts his or her signature on a document that is also signed by others. In 1215 the English barons revolted against King John and forced him to join them as a signatory to the Magna Carta. This agreement stated the barons' own duties to the King but also assigned the barons clear rights and limited the King's power over them. Though the Magna Carta did nothing for the common people, it's often been called the first step toward democracy in the English-speaking countries.
Examples of signatory in a Sentence
a signatory of the Declaration of Independence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the interest of comity, then, and in the hopes for an impressively long list of signatories, the hosts would have fudged the question.
—
Neal B. Freeman, National Review, 13 Mar. 2025
The deal’s signatories, the United States and Ukraine, appear to have opposing interpretations of its terms, which leave many thorny details for a later discussion.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 28 Feb. 2025
Naturally, he’s promptly kicked out of the festivities and, in turn, no longer a signatory of the historical document.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2025
The letter has 10 anonymous signatories from the BBC.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Feb. 2025
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Neal B. Freeman, National Review, 13 Mar. 2025
The deal’s signatories, the United States and Ukraine, appear to have opposing interpretations of its terms, which leave many thorny details for a later discussion.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 28 Feb. 2025
Naturally, he’s promptly kicked out of the festivities and, in turn, no longer a signatory of the historical document.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2025
The letter has 10 anonymous signatories from the BBC.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for signatory
Cite this Entry
“Signatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/signatory. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
signatory
noun
sig·na·to·ry
ˈsig-nə-ˌtōr-ē 
plural signatories
: a signer with another or others
signatories to a petition
especially
: a government bound with others by a signed convention
signatory
adjective
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