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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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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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
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Recent Examples of mean
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
Like all reality series, The Baldwins dispatches handheld cameras to its subjects’ places of residence, which, in this case, means their luxurious digs in New York City and their astonishingly idyllic estate in East Hampton.
—Peter Tonguette, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Mar. 2025
Michael Khouw, CNBC, 20 Mar. 2025
The push to utilize generative AI across entertainment isn’t sparing the ever-complex video games industry by any means.
—Kaare Eriksen, Variety, 19 Mar. 2025
Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Mar. 2025
The trestle will require the installation of some 1,200 36-inch steel piles covering an area of 400,000 square feet with the top of the pile being 10 feet above the Patapsco’s mean high-water line, according to the Army Corps.
—Michelle Deal-Zimmerman, Baltimore Sun, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mean
Verb
As Senate minority leader, that means flipping four Senate seats next election.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
Like all reality series, The Baldwins dispatches handheld cameras to its subjects’ places of residence, which, in this case, means their luxurious digs in New York City and their astonishingly idyllic estate in East Hampton.
—Peter Tonguette, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Mar. 2025
Noun
The prior administration’s unusual means of funding the government lit a stick of dynamite in the Federal budget, and the current administration must try to defuse it.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 20 Mar. 2025
The push to utilize generative AI across entertainment isn’t sparing the ever-complex video games industry by any means.
—Kaare Eriksen, Variety, 19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
What does creating that short-form content mean to you?
—Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Mar. 2025
The trestle will require the installation of some 1,200 36-inch steel piles covering an area of 400,000 square feet with the top of the pile being 10 feet above the Patapsco’s mean high-water line, according to the Army Corps.
—Michelle Deal-Zimmerman, Baltimore Sun, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mean
Verb
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Technology stocks have been battered this year after the recent market meltdown, which drove the S & P 500 into correction territory last week and has the Nasdaq Composite still trading in a correction , a term signifying that an index is down more than 10% from its recent high.—
Pia Singh,
CNBC,
19 Mar. 2025
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To Ukraine, Russia is an existential threat to its sovereignty, as proven by Moscow's invasion, which is viewed in the West as an imperial war of conquest and signifies a broader threat to Europe.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
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This ongoing engagement reassures your team that their opinions matter, fostering a culture of trust and commitment.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
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What matters is that Dan Hurley’s team won, extending its tournament winning streak to 13 games — and, most importantly, keeping alive its dream of a three-peat.—
Brendan Marks,
The Athletic,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Conceived by architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood, who later went on to design several of America’s iconic national park lodges, the building was intended to fold seamlessly into its environment—working to complement the natural beauty of its surroundings rather than overpowering it.—
Sophie Mendel,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Mar. 2025
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To be built close to junction 10 of the M1 motorway for easy access by car, it was intended to have a removable grass pitch, which would have made Luton the first club to use such technology.—
Tom Burrows,
The Athletic,
23 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Currently, there is no data indicating the containment progress of the fire and its cause has not yet been determined.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacramento Bee,
19 Mar. 2025
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Property records indicate that a Rosemary Casarotti lived in Shasta County, California as of 2023, The Circle K where Casarotti purchased the winning ticket received $1 million for selling the jackpot-winning ticket.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA TODAY,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Text removed from the January statement is in red with a horizontal line through the middle.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
19 Mar. 2025
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Parker Kelly moved back to the middle on the fourth line, with Joel Kiviranta and Logan O’Connor.—
Corey Masisak,
The Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
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James, a police detective, has disappeared after some strange doings at work, leaving behind a mysterious letter with covert messages that John helps decode.—
Sarah Larson,
The New Yorker,
21 Mar. 2025
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Appropriately goofy hair and wig designs, when called for, are supplied by Peter Herman while Stephen Gifford’s period scenic designs support the on-stage doings admirably.—
Christopher Smith,
Orange County Register,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
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In response, hundreds of thousands of armed Sunni men, nominally under the authority of the defense ministry, rushed to Hama, Latakia, and Tartus ready to fight.—
Dominique Soguel,
Christian Science Monitor,
28 Mar. 2025
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The big picture: Around 90% of Gaza's residents have already been displaced by the war, and over 50,000 have been killed according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.—
Barak Ravid,
Axios,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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If six months’ worth of living expenses seems like a lot, start off small and work your way up to your target sum gradually.—
Víctor Rosario,
Sacbee.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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Nearly a summer’s worth of rain fell on large parts of the state’s northern area in just a few days.—
Edward Szekeres and Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mean. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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