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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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of mean
Space.com Staff, Space.com, 21 Dec. 2024
Pockets are tempting to fill, and travelers often forget to fully empty them, which means setting off the alarm and holding up the security line.
—Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 21 Dec. 2024
Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2024
So the Mets will look to add more pitching through any means necessary to supplement a rotation that consists of Kodai Senga, David Peterson (left), Paul Blackburn, Montas and Holmes, with Tylor Megill and Jose Butto as depth options.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 10 Dec. 2024
Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 11 Dec. 2024
Last year, the high, low and mean temperatures for December were all about 5 degrees warmer than normal.
—Lauren De Young, The Arizona Republic, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for mean 
Verb
On Episode 141 of This Week In Space, are joined by producer Anthony and our old pal Ant Pruitt to celebrate and discuss a wide variety of topics, from first space memories to our favorite space toys to what spaceflight means to each of us.
—Space.com Staff, Space.com, 21 Dec. 2024
Pockets are tempting to fill, and travelers often forget to fully empty them, which means setting off the alarm and holding up the security line.
—Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 21 Dec. 2024
Noun
Private college is becoming a path for only those with the means to pay for it, other reports show.
—Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2024
So the Mets will look to add more pitching through any means necessary to supplement a rotation that consists of Kodai Senga, David Peterson (left), Paul Blackburn, Montas and Holmes, with Tylor Megill and Jose Butto as depth options.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
Max the Dog narrates as the mean and scheming Grinch plots to steal Christmas away from the holiday-loving Whos.
Details: 7 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m., 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut St., Downtown.
—Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 11 Dec. 2024
Last year, the high, low and mean temperatures for December were all about 5 degrees warmer than normal.
—Lauren De Young, The Arizona Republic, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for mean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mean
Verb
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For example, just one piece of vital equipment required 130 linear feet from Macaron Queen, signifying the vertigo-inducing jump between small-scale production and any dreams of upward growth.Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
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Upon landing her new role as creative director, a ‘G’ for Georgiana was tacked onto Hunza to signify the brand’s new chapter and direction.Dahvi Shira, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
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His endorsement matters more than any other endorsement in a Republican primary.ABC News, ABC News, 22 Dec. 2024
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My literary dreams had yet to be realized, but that actually didn’t matter all that much.Lee Chang-dong, The New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The rules were intended to prevent Social Security from overpaying people who worked in non-covered pension jobs, policy experts said.Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024
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To date, the SSU has failed to generate the success or world-building Sony hoped for and intended.Mark Hughes, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The Bridgeport Emergency Communications Center received a series of calls on Thursday indicating multiple vehicles were broken into in the 50 block of Middle Street, according to Tiadora Josef, director of public information for the City of Bridgeport.Staff report, Hartford Courant, 19 Dec. 2024
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President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of antitrust regulators indicates that the scrutiny of Big Tech during the Biden administration will likely continue during Trump’s term.Owen Tedford, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Start by breaking off pieces of the outer bread and dipping them in the cheesy middle.Melissa Santos, Axios, 18 Dec. 2024
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Just like seeing the moment, came across the middle and saw nothing but the end zone.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
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On Thursday, there was another closed-door House Ethics Committee meeting to debate whether to release the panel’s report on Gaetz’s seamy doings.Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2024
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This is another of many federal government doings that merits the attention of incoming president Donald Trump’s advisory Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.Clyde Wayne Crews Jr., Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The Chinese foreign ministry responded to that move last week by calling the bans laughable.Stephen Groves, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
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Newsweek has contacted Russia's emergency situations ministry for comment.Tim Ryan, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Polo therefore comes at a time when Hollywood is still waiting for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to prove their worth as TV producers outside their own royal story.Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
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The 108th running of Indy 500 includes evacuations, crashes, lots of rain The Month of May is historically the very best month to be a Hoosier, with weeks' worth of track activities leading up to the 500-mile race on Memorial Day weekend.Holly V. Hays, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Mean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mean. Accessed 27 Dec. 2024.
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