Synonyms of mean
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as in to signify 
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as in to matter
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as in to intend
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as in to indicate
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as in middle
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as in doing
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as in ministry
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as in worth
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as in average
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as in low
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as in careful
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as in cruel
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as in dirty
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as in inferior
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as in awesome
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as in dilapidated
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as in lame
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1
as in to signify
to communicate or convey (as an idea) to the mind
the national anthem means various things to various people
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Relevance
2
as in to matter
to be of importance
your presence at my graduation would mean a lot to me
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3
as in to intend
to have in mind as a purpose or goal
I mean to win this race
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1
as in middle
a middle point between extremes
that candidate's moderate views were seen as the mean that voters were looking for
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in doing
means plural
an action planned or taken to achieve a desired result
won the competition by fair and honest means
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3
as in ministry
means plural
something used to achieve an end
the ends don't justify the means
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4
as in worth
means plural
the total of one's money and property
a woman of considerable means
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in average
being about midway between extremes of amount or size
for the state of Florida, what is the mean number of sunny days per month?
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in low
belonging to the class of people of low social or economic rank
Alexander Hamilton seems to have had feelings of inferiority because of his mean origins
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2
as in careful
giving or sharing as little as possible
a mean child who hoarded all her toys
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3
as in cruel
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it
a mean, embittered old woman who wanted company for her misery
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4
as in dirty
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency
a mean trick to play on a trusting person
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5
as in inferior
of little or less value or merit
it's no mean feat to memorize that long poem
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6
as in awesome
of the very best kind
I'm a mean dancer, so you could do worse than go to the prom with me
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7
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
he worked hard to escape the mean neighborhood of his youth
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8
as in lame
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
that was no mean stunt to pull off, especially with so little advance preparation
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of mean
Clayton Davis, Variety, 25 Feb. 2025
For some people, this might mean lying in bed, while for others, it's propped upright in a chair or on the couch.
—Amanda Chatel, Glamour, 25 Feb. 2025
Angelica Puzio Ferrara, Scientific American, 14 Feb. 2025
The need to manage young players’ pathways to senior football means academies are becoming profit-making businesses as well as breeding grounds for their own club’s first team.
—The Athletic Uk Staff, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
Jenny Adams, AFAR Media, 11 Feb. 2025
This spot features a housemade limoncello and a mean happy hour from Monday to Thursday from 3 p.m to 6 p.m., including a $5 house cabernet and chardonnay, $4.50 domestic beers and $7 bites.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mean
Verb
The preferential ballot means a film’s best chance at winning depends on which movies get eliminated first — those with the fewest No. 1 votes.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 25 Feb. 2025
For some people, this might mean lying in bed, while for others, it's propped upright in a chair or on the couch.
—Amanda Chatel, Glamour, 25 Feb. 2025
Noun
Measuring this dynamic means answering questions such as: Where is mankeeping most prevalent—and what can that tell us about those communities?
—Angelica Puzio Ferrara, Scientific American, 14 Feb. 2025
The need to manage young players’ pathways to senior football means academies are becoming profit-making businesses as well as breeding grounds for their own club’s first team.
—The Athletic Uk Staff, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
Adjective
Guests arrive to a warm welcome from innkeeper Todd Schwartz, who lives upstairs, drives a 1967 Lincoln Continental, and stirs a mean Martini.
—Jenny Adams, AFAR Media, 11 Feb. 2025
This spot features a housemade limoncello and a mean happy hour from Monday to Thursday from 3 p.m to 6 p.m., including a $5 house cabernet and chardonnay, $4.50 domestic beers and $7 bites.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mean
Verb
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The Republican Party mentioned education 31 times in their 1980 Republican Platform, signifying the immediate concern of education policy and a shift towards bipartisan focus on schooling issues.—
Mallory Hutchings-Tryon / Made by History,
TIME,
20 Feb. 2025
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The researchers concluded that the uptick in online searches signifies the need for public health officials to stay in front of the issue of gambling addiction, including through research and a comprehensive health care response.—
Erik Ortiz,
NBC News,
17 Feb. 2025
Verb
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That's not to say gear doesn't matter, just that it's best used in service of something larger.—
Scott Gilbertson,
WIRED,
26 Feb. 2025
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Support journalism that digs deeper into topics that matter most to Arkansans.—
Parker Mancino,
arkansasonline.com,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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It’s been swinging since the Federal Reserve began cutting its main interest rate sharply from September intending to make borrowing cheaper, help the economy and boost prices for stocks, bonds and other investments.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2025
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In an unexpected and unceremonious twist, the trade was rescinded after the Lakers, who had intended to pair Hornets center Mark Williams with newcomer Luka Doncic as a lob threat, reportedly balked at Williams’ medicals.—
Bennett Durando,
The Denver Post,
15 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Asthmatic respiratory crisis indicates the pope struggled to maintain a sufficient oxygen level when breathing on his own, according to medical experts.—
Phoebe Natanson,
ABC News,
23 Feb. 2025
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Research indicates that relationship satisfaction tends to decrease between the ages of 20 and 40, reaching a low point around age 40.—
Mark Joseph,
Newsweek,
23 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Sarah Catherine is on my birth certificate, and then Campbell is my middle, followed by Hook, my last name.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
24 Feb. 2025
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My impression today—shared by many faculty members—is that young America has moved back toward the middle in terms of their work ethic, commitment to free speech, and belief in non-discriminatory competition.—
John Rau,
Forbes,
24 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The novel follows Nate Cartwright, a journalist who, in the wake of a scandal of his own doing, leaves Washington, D.C. for his dead parents’ cabin in Roseland, Ore.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
People.com,
4 Feb. 2025
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In an era rife with conspiracy theories and subterfuge, how much of those forces are products of our own doing, perhaps our imagining?—
Dana Feldman,
Forbes,
30 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The 37-year-old suspect is from Algeria, the interior ministry said.—
Pierre Bairin,
CNN,
22 Feb. 2025
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Newsweek has reached out to Panama's foreign ministry for comment via email on Friday.—
Tom Rogers,
Newsweek,
21 Feb. 2025
Noun
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At the same time, establishing an emergency fund with three to six months’ worth of expenses offers essential protection against unexpected disruptions. 2.—
Diane DeOliveira,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
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Even though the Wizards lost the game to the Eastern Conference-leading Cavaliers, 134-124, Coulibaly and Carrington sounded ecstatic to have Smart, along with his decade’s worth of knowledge, on the Wizards’ roster.—
Josh Robbins,
The Athletic,
20 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mean. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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