1
as in moniker
a word or combination of words by which a person or thing is regularly known
"soul" is the common denotation for that mysterious force within the human body that gives it life and yet is separate from it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in meaning
the idea that is conveyed or intended to be conveyed to the mind by language, symbol, or action
although most people exercise for fitness, the denotation of the term "fitness" varies from exerciser to exerciser
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of denotation
How much control, at this point, the subcommittee can exert over emoji denotation and connotation isn’t clear.
—
Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 29 June 2025
But the New Zealand Department of Conservation lists the reptiles as at risk — relict, a denotation reserved for species that declined to a small population but have since stabilized.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 22 July 2024
Language, unlike code, has connotations and denotations that make organizing it for human consumption a much more complex task, says Dr. Harbin.
—Leonardo Bevilacqua, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 June 2024
What does 4/20 mean? April 20, or 4/20 in its calendar denotation, is a holiday celebrated by many weed-smokers both in the United States and around the globe.
—Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2023
Deaths are included if a person has a positive COVID-19 test and a death certificate denotation, a record of symptoms consistent with COVID-19 that progress from illness to death, or a determination by the medical examiner’s office that there is no other cause of death, Trimble said.
—Dallas News, 5 Aug. 2020
Cleverly staging appearance as disappearance, connotation serves as denotation.
—Jerrine Tan, Wired, 4 Aug. 2022
The word hacker itself seems to carry a whiff of punk rebellion, its implied sophistication contrasting with a denotation of smashing and severing.
—Darryn King, The Atlantic, 14 Nov. 2020
Through this preaching, white dominance in political, judicial, and economic affairs became denotations of the will of the universe instead of means of racial control.
—Jared Yates Sexton, The New Republic, 25 Mar. 2020
Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 29 June 2025
But the New Zealand Department of Conservation lists the reptiles as at risk — relict, a denotation reserved for species that declined to a small population but have since stabilized.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 22 July 2024
Language, unlike code, has connotations and denotations that make organizing it for human consumption a much more complex task, says Dr. Harbin.
—Leonardo Bevilacqua, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 June 2024
What does 4/20 mean? April 20, or 4/20 in its calendar denotation, is a holiday celebrated by many weed-smokers both in the United States and around the globe.
—Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2023
Deaths are included if a person has a positive COVID-19 test and a death certificate denotation, a record of symptoms consistent with COVID-19 that progress from illness to death, or a determination by the medical examiner’s office that there is no other cause of death, Trimble said.
—Dallas News, 5 Aug. 2020
Cleverly staging appearance as disappearance, connotation serves as denotation.
—Jerrine Tan, Wired, 4 Aug. 2022
The word hacker itself seems to carry a whiff of punk rebellion, its implied sophistication contrasting with a denotation of smashing and severing.
—Darryn King, The Atlantic, 14 Nov. 2020
Through this preaching, white dominance in political, judicial, and economic affairs became denotations of the will of the universe instead of means of racial control.
—Jared Yates Sexton, The New Republic, 25 Mar. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for denotation
Noun
-
People didn’t necessarily identify themselves with a moniker or a label.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
28 July 2025
-
Anticipation for new music from the now-duo was extremely high, as it had been announced some time ago that the group was going to release music for the film under that moniker.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
27 July 2025
Noun
-
That term can have a number of meanings, and even though Carr has suggested a proceeding to define it, that hasn’t happened.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
25 July 2025
-
The question of the meaning of life continues unabated.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
Noun
-
Surgeons employ a precise classification and nomenclature system to characterize scoliosis, tailoring their approach based on the patient’s age, the type of scoliosis and the underlying cause driving its development.—
Richard Menger MD MPA,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
-
It’s thought that this nomenclature probably resulted from the fact that the vine looks quite unkempt when left untrained, yet other scholars believe that the wild side of the name comes from the wine’s characteristic aromas.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
3 July 2025
Noun
-
Such easy overlap between juror and filmmaker speaks to a wider festival goal toward building a real sense of community within the genre world.—
Ben Croll,
Variety,
14 July 2025
-
Other migrant families have found the same sense of stability in the city of nearly 2 million inhabitants.—
Alexandra Mendoza,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
However, this isn’t a specific species but rather a common name or catchall term people use when describing tiny ants such as the odorous house ant or little black ant, says Benson.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
28 July 2025
-
The center entered his name into the transfer portal after former head coach Biff Poggi’s departure at the beginning of December.—
Emma Moon
July 28,
Charlotte Observer,
28 July 2025
Noun
-
But his sweet gesture fell flat when Brie failed to grasp the significance of the mask.—
Erin Clack,
People.com,
30 July 2025
-
Along the way, participants will learn about native species, local history, and the significance of protecting the springs and the St. Johns River.—
Joe Rassel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 July 2025
Noun
-
The winger has won two La Liga titles and helped Spain to European Championship glory in 2024, while lighting up last year’s Champions League with an array of impressive performances.—
Amanda Davies,
CNN Money,
1 Aug. 2025
-
Chicago Cubs The Cubs needed to be decisive to boost their chances at a division title over the Brewers.—
Tim Crowley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Students will be challenged to think about how to create compelling content around class material in a short form video and instructors can even create a competition around which content gets the most organic views.—
Sergei Revzin,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
-
Rice’s portfolio as an executive includes dozens of Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations across thousands of hours of content.—
Peter Kiefer,
HollywoodReporter,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Denotation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/denotation. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share