1
2
: something meant or intended : aim
a mischievous meaning was apparent
3
: significant quality
especially
: implication of a hidden or special significance
a glance full of meaning
4
a
: the logical connotation of a word or phrase
b
: the logical denotation or extension of a word or phrase
somewhat old-fashioned
: conveying or intended to convey meaning : significant, meaningful
a meaning smile
When any mention was made of baronets either married or unmarried, of former lovers, of broken vows, or of second engagements, Miss Altifiorla would look with a meaning glance at her hostess.—
Anthony Trollope
Anthony TrollopeRuby lifted her heavy-lidded eyes and sent him a meaning look.—Edna Ferber
Edna Ferber
meaningly
adverb
She said: "I am not a very plucky girl." She looked up at me and added meaningly: "And you know it. And you know why."
—Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad
"I have come about a private matter," he said, looking meaningly at Betty, who got up and began to move toward the door.
—P. G. Wodehouse
P. G. Wodehouse
Synonyms
Examples of meaning in a Sentence
Noun
What is the precise meaning of this word in English?
an old word that has taken on a new meaning
The word has both literal meanings and figurative meanings.
a word with various shades of meaning
Don't distort her meaning by taking her words out of context.
I didn't understand the meaning of his remark.
Literary critics disagree about the meanings of his poems.
a poem with subtle shades of meaning
What is the meaning of life?
It's a story about the true meaning of Christmas.
Adjective
gave me a meaning look after I said that
Recent Examples on the Web
Daryl Perry, The Indianapolis Star, 21 Nov. 2024
Still, the game holds special meaning because of the longtime rivalry between the programs, their current success and the Stadium’s football lore.
—Tim Casey, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Authors have built their own galaxies of exalted cultural meaning out of the Publishers Marketplace deal-announcement screengrab—perhaps even more now, in an environment where anyone can self-publish independently.
—Jordan Michelman, The Atlantic, 21 Nov. 2024
Stepping out publicly for the first time since completing her cancer treatment, Kate recently wore a pair of discreetly glamorous gold fern earrings that have long been in her collection — but on this occasion held new meaning.
—Monique Jessen, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for meaning 
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.
Noun
Dimes hold a special meaning to the Indianapolis woman, a sentiment spurred by her late brother, Ted, who would often give the shiny coins to her as a child.
—Daryl Perry, The Indianapolis Star, 21 Nov. 2024
Still, the game holds special meaning because of the longtime rivalry between the programs, their current success and the Stadium’s football lore.
—Tim Casey, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Authors have built their own galaxies of exalted cultural meaning out of the Publishers Marketplace deal-announcement screengrab—perhaps even more now, in an environment where anyone can self-publish independently.
—Jordan Michelman, The Atlantic, 21 Nov. 2024
Stepping out publicly for the first time since completing her cancer treatment, Kate recently wore a pair of discreetly glamorous gold fern earrings that have long been in her collection — but on this occasion held new meaning.
—Monique Jessen, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for meaning
Dictionary Entries Near meaning
Cite this Entry
“Meaning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meaning. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share