connotation
noun
William Ralph Inge
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What’s the difference between connotation and denotation ?
Connotation and denotation are easily confused, and the fact that neither word is particularly common in everyday use makes it difficult for many people to get a firm grip on the difference between them. While each of these two words has several possible meanings, they are notably distinct from each other in all senses. Denotation is concerned with explicit meaning, and connotation tends to be concerned with implicit meaning. The word home, for instance, has a denotation of “the place (such as a house or apartment) where a person lives,” but it may additionally have many connotations (such as “warmth,” “security,” or “childhood”) for some people.
Examples of connotation in a Sentence
Hamish Bowles, Vogue, March 1997
Suddenly, Hsun-ching brightened. "So this is propaganda?" Alison did not know that, in Chinese, the word for propaganda literally means to spread information, and does not carry any negative connotations.
—Mark Salzman, The Laughing Sutra, 1991
The word "evolution," with its connotation of unrolling, of progressive development, was not favored by Darwin; he preferred the bleak phrase "descent with modification" for his theory.
—John Updike, New Yorker, 30 Dec. 1985
a word with negative connotations
For many people, the word “fat” has negative connotations.
The word “childlike” has connotations of innocence.
Emlyn Travis Published, EW.com, 6 June 2025
Here, again, the English translation fails to capture the historical and cultural connotations of the Persian, Bahari explained.
—Robin Wright, New Yorker, 26 May 2025
The plural color is one of the oldest naming conventions in sports, and the musical connotation adds another layer.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 20 May 2025
What names have new popes taken? More: Praying for white smoke: Papal conclave uses centuries-old method to announce a new pope
Historians will study the name for clues to its meanings and connotations.
—George Petras, USA Today, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for connotation
Cite this Entry
“Connotation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/connotation. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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connotation
noun
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