meaning

1 of 2

noun

mean·​ing ˈmē-niŋ How to pronounce meaning (audio)
1
a
: the thing one intends to convey especially by language : purport
Do not mistake my meaning.
b
: the thing that is conveyed especially by language : import
Many words have more than one meaning.
2
: something meant or intended : aim
a mischievous meaning was apparent
3
: significant quality
especially : implication of a hidden or special significance
a glance full of meaning
4
a
: the logical connotation of a word or phrase
b
: the logical denotation or extension of a word or phrase

meaning

2 of 2

adjective

somewhat old-fashioned
: conveying or intended to convey meaning : significant, meaningful
a meaning smile
When any mention was made of baronets either married or unmarried, of former lovers, of broken vows, or of second engagements, Miss Altifiorla would look with a meaning glance at her hostess.Anthony Trollope
Ruby lifted her heavy-lidded eyes and sent him a meaning look.Edna Ferber
meaningly adverb
She said: "I am not a very plucky girl." She looked up at me and added meaningly: "And you know it. And you know why." Joseph Conrad
"I have come about a private matter," he said, looking meaningly at Betty, who got up and began to move toward the door. P. G. Wodehouse

Examples of meaning in a Sentence

Noun What is the precise meaning of this word in English? an old word that has taken on a new meaning The word has both literal meanings and figurative meanings. a word with various shades of meaning Don't distort her meaning by taking her words out of context. I didn't understand the meaning of his remark. Literary critics disagree about the meanings of his poems. a poem with subtle shades of meaning What is the meaning of life? It's a story about the true meaning of Christmas.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
What's the meaning behind the red lapel pin at the 2024 Oscars? Kimi Robinson, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2024 This is my chance to speak to him—to inform him, with mortal authority, of the meaning of life. Joseph O’Neill, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 But the directors show the meaning and purpose behind every bit of preparation. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024 The practice of keeping whales like the orca in this clip is slowly coming to an end — meaning encounters like this may not happen forever. Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024 Castro and Vadell’s lackadaisical tone drains the vile remarks of any solid meaning, trying to earn laughs instead. Valerie Trapp, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2024 There is work that goes on away from the field and from the public view that has as much — and sometimes more — meaning than what Grapefruit League stats show. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2024 Emma Thompson plays an inexperienced widow who hires the titular escort (Daryl McCormack) to make all of her intimate fantasies come true, but after several meetings, their relationship takes on a deeper meaning. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024 The word crisis seems to have lost its meaning in the city, Reynoso said, but no one is addressing it as a crisis. Alena Botros, Fortune, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'meaning.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1726, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of meaning was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near meaning

Cite this Entry

“Meaning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meaning. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

meaning

1 of 2 noun
mean·​ing
ˈmē-niŋ
1
a
: the sense one intends to communicate especially by language
do not mistake my meaning
b
: the sense that is communicated
the poem's meaning is clear
2
3
: intent to communicate information : significance
a glance full of meaning

meaning

2 of 2 adjective
: conveying or intended to convey meaning : significant
a meaning look

More from Merriam-Webster on meaning

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!