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 cruel
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as in dirty
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as in low
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as in stingy
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as in inferior
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as in great
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as in dilapidated
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as in lame
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as in average
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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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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 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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2
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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3
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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4
as in stingy
giving or sharing as little as possible
a mean child who hoarded all her toys
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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 great
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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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 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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mean
Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 27 May 2026
That often means a tighter product lineup, stronger retail relationships and paying closer attention to customer loyalty instead of just customer acquisition.
—Sara Payan, Rolling Stone, 27 May 2026
Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 May 2026
Grab lunch at Red Hills Market or Merenda Italian Deli (both make a mean sandwich) before popping into Sokol Blosser or Durant Vineyards, ending with dinner at Loam and overnighting in a retro Airstream at The Vintages Trailer Resort.
—Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 19 May 2026
Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 26 May 2026
As the saying goes, failure to prepare means preparing to fail–and the most successful dressers tend to have a practical streak.
—Olivia Allen, Vogue, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for mean
Verb
Success at Couture means taking our seat at the table of independent jewelers that shape today’s precious landscape and establishing key retail partnerships with premier galleries and initiating strategic conversations around the consumers of the region are also priorities.
—Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 27 May 2026
That often means a tighter product lineup, stronger retail relationships and paying closer attention to customer loyalty instead of just customer acquisition.
—Sara Payan, Rolling Stone, 27 May 2026
Adjective
The club’s property line is based on the mean high tide line, typically ranging from 15 to 20 feet in front of The Marine Room restaurant and occasionally up to 30 feet, Kellogg said.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 May 2026
Grab lunch at Red Hills Market or Merenda Italian Deli (both make a mean sandwich) before popping into Sokol Blosser or Durant Vineyards, ending with dinner at Loam and overnighting in a retro Airstream at The Vintages Trailer Resort.
—Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 19 May 2026
Noun
In his dissent, Thomas said the court should have taken the case because Florida has no other means of filing such a challenge.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 26 May 2026
As the saying goes, failure to prepare means preparing to fail–and the most successful dressers tend to have a practical streak.
—Olivia Allen, Vogue, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for mean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mean
Verb
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Opponents could sense that Sabalenka’s demeanor signified a collapse was underway.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
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The constant movement might make some audience members dizzy, yet its jitteriness signifies the anxiety and unease of the characters, both in their skin and with each other.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
25 May 2026
Verb
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In a probabilistic system, the distinction between ranking in seventh and eighth place matters less than how often a brand appears among the top recommendations across many results.—
Lora Kratchounova,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
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Support journalism that digs deeper into topics that matter most to Arkansans.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Despite the acquisition, Lim intends to stay on as the brand’s creative director.—
Rachel Burchfield,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
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Importantly, even though the Matrix is claimed to be extremely durable, those carabiners are not intended for use in climbing.—
Maryna Holovnova,
New Atlas,
25 May 2026
Verb
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Nonetheless, Khatima recorded a series of facts which indicated that the Black Death actually was communicable.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 May 2026
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Well more than a year before the May 18 attack, Caleb Vazquez’s behavior had so concerned officials that he was placed on a 72-hour involuntary hold for a mental health evaluation, feared to be a danger to himself or others, court documents indicate.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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In the late '90s and early '00s, Pamela Anderson became a tabloid fixture who was frequently the butt of cruel jokes alongside many other female celebrities of the era.—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 May 2026
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But fate, cruel and sudden, had other ideas.—
Greg Engle,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Adjective
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The legal, commercial, and reputational risks of avoiding dirty leather will fall on your shoulders.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
26 May 2026
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Sleep deprivation and dirty diapers are a small price to pay to feel such love.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
Adjective
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Between 48 percent off platform sandals that feel just as cushioned as sneakers, to 60 percent off flexible, low-profile sneakers that’ll never challenge an overpacked suitcase, any of the shoes below will carry you through your summer outings in style.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
29 May 2026
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Potential side effects of GLP-1s include nausea, vomiting, changes in vision, low blood sugar, and, in rare cases, thyroid cancer.—
Maia Rosenfeld,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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Some of Colorado's top scorers have struggled against the Golden Knights' stingy defense.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 May 2026
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Montreal’s rebuild looks like the class of the league, Buffalo is finally on the rise, and Ottawa made the playoffs off a stingy brand of possession hockey.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mean. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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