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 cruel
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as in dirty
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as in low
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as in stingy
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as in inferior
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as in great
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as in dilapidated
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as in lame
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as in average
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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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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 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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2
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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3
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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4
as in stingy
giving or sharing as little as possible
a mean child who hoarded all her toys
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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 great
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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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 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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of mean
Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Feb. 2026
Production is slated to start this year, meaning the show could hit Prime Video in 2027.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
Larry Magid, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026
That’s so crazy, and that’s so mean.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 9 Feb. 2026
But because many people struggle to get enough vitamin D through natural means, a supplement may be appropriate for those concerned about bone health, Drake said.
—Jamie Ducharme, Health, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mean
Verb
His character, Sean Bateman, was meant to be the younger brother of Patrick Bateman, played by Christian Bale in American Psycho.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Feb. 2026
Production is slated to start this year, meaning the show could hit Prime Video in 2027.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
And anyone who spends time on social media has probably seen fellow adults post things that are divisive, mean or inaccurate.
—Larry Magid, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026
That’s so crazy, and that’s so mean.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026
Noun
Catherine takes the concept in a different direction, intent on hurting Heathcliff through more emotional means.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 9 Feb. 2026
But because many people struggle to get enough vitamin D through natural means, a supplement may be appropriate for those concerned about bone health, Drake said.
—Jamie Ducharme, Health, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mean
Verb
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In 2023, the IOC voted in favor of adding flag football as an official Olympic sport set to debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, signifying just how broad its reach has become.—
Maura Carey,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
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Relatedly, the green cane stalks signified an early Caribbean sugar industry run on slave labor.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Support journalism that digs deeper into topics that matter most to Arkansans.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
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To ignore race—or gender, or sexuality—while attempting to build working class solidarity is to say that there are some concerns of working class people that do not matter.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As previously mentioned here, an Article 5 Convention of States (COS) remains the only way power will be transferred from the politicians to the people where the Founders intended it to reside.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
17 Feb. 2026
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But regardless of who the jacket was intended for, its quintessentially Chinese aesthetic has resonated globally.—
Stephy Chung,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The recent batch of labor market data (both public and private) indicated that there’s a high likelihood that job growth was tepid, that unemployment remained subdued and that health care remained a primary driver of overall hiring.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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However, documents indicate that the friendship continued.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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This could be an oasis destination for residing, shopping, strolling and living in the middle of the city.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
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In lieu of any local angle or a national controversy to get outraged over, what’s a sports columnist to do to fill space on a lazy sports Sunday in the middle of February?—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Laughlin, with Poder, said the influx has meant people with citizenship or other less-vulnerable statuses can show up in ways members of the undocumented community don't feel safe doing.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
10 Feb. 2026
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Not up to us are our bodies, possessions, reputations, public offices — in short, whatever is not our own doing.—
Massimo Pigliucci,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The queen consort joined the congregation for the service, recognizing the work of the Guild in curating public worship at St Bride’s and in the continued ministry to journalism.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
10 Feb. 2026
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Harden said the choir approaches the event with a ministry-first mindset.—
Jonel Juste,
Miami Herald,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In 2019, club members suspected Stellato of $20,000 worth of embezzlement and relieved him of his rear commodore position, according to court records.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
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Purchases included more than $85,000 worth of gold and diamond jewelry, a $55,000 private jet flight from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles and rentals of mansions in Miami Beach and Los Angeles totaling more than $43,000.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mean. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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