as in implies
formal, of a word
to make you think about (something) in addition to the word's meaning
The word "childlike" connotes innocence. For her, the word "family" connotes love and comfort.
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Recent Examples of connotes
Lerner gets plentiful mileage out of his novel’s title, which also connotes the transmission of culture (thought or speech to writing, sound to vinyl) or part of the process whereby DNA replicates.
—
Hannah Gold, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
At its core, reading a physical book, particularly a novel, connotes more than just taste, intellect, or even a desire to pass your time in a more productive way than doomscrolling.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 9 Mar. 2026
That kind of reaction no doubt connotes intimate familiarity with the material, but the screenplay — by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, based on Holzman’s book for the show from the novel by Gregory Maguire — earns its emotions with more sincerity than schmaltz.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 18 Nov. 2025
As for men, women prefer a financially stronger individual which connotes safety and security.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Meta’s decision to remove its most egregious guidelines only after facing media scrutiny connotes an approach to AI development that prioritizes policy opacity and public relations over transparency and safety as core values.
—Douglas B. Laney, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Moldings of spring flowers spangle the wall to the left of the entryway, representing the more volatile top notes, while bronze work connotes middle notes and travertine, base notes.
—Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Hannah Gold, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
At its core, reading a physical book, particularly a novel, connotes more than just taste, intellect, or even a desire to pass your time in a more productive way than doomscrolling.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 9 Mar. 2026
That kind of reaction no doubt connotes intimate familiarity with the material, but the screenplay — by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, based on Holzman’s book for the show from the novel by Gregory Maguire — earns its emotions with more sincerity than schmaltz.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 18 Nov. 2025
As for men, women prefer a financially stronger individual which connotes safety and security.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Meta’s decision to remove its most egregious guidelines only after facing media scrutiny connotes an approach to AI development that prioritizes policy opacity and public relations over transparency and safety as core values.
—Douglas B. Laney, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Moldings of spring flowers spangle the wall to the left of the entryway, representing the more volatile top notes, while bronze work connotes middle notes and travertine, base notes.
—Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for connotes
Verb
-
That implies helium supply won’t be restored anytime soon, pointed out Christopher Ecclestone, principal and mining strategist at Hallgarten & Company.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2026
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That implies your doctors and trainers and everyone involved get to take a look at it.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In Islamic ethical and theological usage, amanat denotes not only material custody but also the faithful discharge of obligations and promises, and betrayal of amanat is viewed as a serious ethical failing.—
Anel Rakhimzhanova,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2026
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An asterisk denotes that the speech was not technically a State of the Union address.—
Bebe Hodges,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Hose and closeout crew teammate Christian Warriner, an Orion technician, know their job signifies the final inches before a 600,000-mile journey.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
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Every bottle of Château Angélus bears an image of a church bell, which signifies the three churches that surround the natural amphitheater of the estate’s principal vineyard.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Keep it light and clever, yet commit to a piece long enough to actually wrap it, whether that means editing your podcast or rehearsing your lines once.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
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This means a rocket could still trigger lightning, highlighting the need for close monitoring of cloud cover and electrical activity throughout the launch window.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Connotes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/connotes. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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