mean 1 of 4

verb

ˈmēn How to pronounce mean (audio)
Definition of meannext
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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4
as in to indicate
to serve as a sign or symptom of these colder nights mean autumn has truly arrived

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mean

2 of 4

adjective (1)

ˈmēn How to pronounce mean (audio)
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

mean

3 of 4

adjective (2)

ˈmēn How to pronounce mean (audio)
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

mean

4 of 4

noun

ˈmēn How to pronounce mean (audio)
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

Synonym Chooser

How is the word mean distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of mean are average, median, and norm. While all these words mean "something that represents a middle point," mean may be the simple average or it may represent value midway between two extremes.

a high of 70° and a low of 50° give a mean of 60°

In what contexts can average take the place of mean?

Although the words average and mean have much in common, average is the quotient obtained by dividing the sum total of a set of figures by the number of figures.

scored an average of 85 on tests

When could median be used to replace mean?

While the synonyms median and mean are close in meaning, median applies to the value that represents the point at which there are as many instances above as there are below.

average of a group of persons earning 3, 4, 5, 8, and 10 dollars an hour is 6 dollars, whereas the median is 5 dollars

When is it sensible to use norm instead of mean?

The words norm and mean can be used in similar contexts, but norm means the average of performance of a significantly large group, class, or grade.

scores about the norm for fifth grade arithmetic

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 mean
Verb
Autumn is on the horizon, which means winter is just around the corner. — Maria Conti, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2026 Atomic force microscopy of the impact zones found pits several nanometers deep in places deeper than the entire thickness of the Teflon film, meaning the damage ran clean through the coating and into the metal. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Surin is a mean, highly physical forward who plays with an edge and is built for playoff hockey. — Corey Pronman, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026 Gregory drew her as mean, menacing, and thoroughly indifferent to male-centric standards of beauty and decorum. — Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Noun
Living with endometriosis means becoming an expert on highly specialized ingredients and constantly cross-checking product labels. — Bella Webb, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026 Shai-Hulud employed an unconventional means for ensuring its channel for collecting credentials was immune to third-party takedowns. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mean
  1. signify
  2. matter
  3. intend
  4. indicate
  5. cruel
  6. dirty
  7. low
  8. selfish
Verb
  • The decision also signified the end of Adam’s time on the Northwestern.
    — Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Aug. 2026
  • This theory gained more popularity after Swift was spotted out in London last month, debuting a fresh haircut which has historically signified a new era in the Taylor Swift Cinematic Universe.
    — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of signify
Verb
  • This matters to Warsh because Korea’s sizable, open economy often serves as an early-warning system for global inflection points.
    — William Pesek, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Kelly said Markey’s push for greater regulation of data centers matters more to him than the senator’s awkward answer about AI.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of matter
Verb
  • Sebastian Kim, head of the content business Unit at CJ ENM, said the series had opened a door the company intends to keep pushing through.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The city of Norman sought new funding from the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office to continue A Better Way, a project intended as an alternative to panhandling.
    — Jake Ramsey, Oklahoma Watch, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of intend
Verb
  • Meteorologists said the majority of model guidance does not indicate a credible hurricane threat to California during the second week of September.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • An internal company memo from around the time of the recovery mission — also obtained by CNBC — indicates Coupang coordinated the computer recovery at the behest of a high-ranking national security officer from the South Korean president’s office.
    — Justin Papp, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of indicate
Adjective
  • Having Sheridan actually be a cruel person was one of the key audience expectations the writer-director hoped to flip in the pursuit of laughs.
    — William Earl, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
  • But Triage does have a moment in which an ember of the old cruel optimism flickers.
    — Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of cruel
Adjective
  • The dogs, according to the charges, had dirty water and their fur was stained with urine and feces.
    — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Fourth, the handle needed to be patterned for a secure grip even in dirty, wet conditions, so checkering or deep ribbing was added to the alloy metal.
    — David Szondy August 30, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of dirty
Adjective
  • Structural inflation, fueled by government deficits, AI investments, low unemployment rates, growing trade barriers and energy disruptions, is reshaping the landscape for markets, according to Fidelity International.
    — Justina Lee, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The low-molecular-weight collagen seeps into your skin as an in-office treatment would, reducing the size of pores and lifting saggy, crepey skin.
    — Essence Wiley, InStyle, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of low
Adjective
  • Both make token contributions to efforts to support Ukraine, often for selfish reasons.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Not because this generation is somehow softer or more selfish.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of selfish

Phrases Containing mean

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mealymouthed
mean
meander
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Cite this Entry

“Mean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mean. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on mean

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mean

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