signal
Americannoun
-
signals
plural
-
anything that serves to indicate, warn, direct, command, or the like, such as a light, a gesture, an act, etc.: a signal to leave.
a traffic signal;
a signal to leave.
- Synonyms:
- sign
-
anything agreed upon or understood as the occasion for concerted action.
-
an act, event, or the like that causes or incites some action.
The unjust execution was the signal for revolt.
-
a token; indication.
- Synonyms:
- sign
-
Electronics. an electrical quantity or effect, as current, voltage, or electromagnetic waves, that can be varied in such a way as to convey information.
-
Cards. a play that reveals to one's partner a wish that they continue or discontinue the suit led.
adjective
-
serving as a token or indication; used in communiating an intention, warning, or command.
a signal flag.
-
unusual; notable; outstanding.
a signal exploit.
- Synonyms:
- striking, remarkable, exceptional, unique
verb (used with object)
-
signals,
present (3rd person singular)
-
signaled,
past participle, past
-
signalled,
past participle, past (especially British)
-
signaling,
present participle
-
signalling
present participle (especially British)
-
to make a token or indication to.
-
to communicate or make known by a token or indication.
verb (used without object)
-
signals,
present (3rd person singular)
-
signaled,
past participle, past
-
signalled,
past participle, past (especially British)
-
signaling,
present participle
-
signalling
present participle (especially British)
noun
-
any sign, gesture, token, etc, that serves to communicate information
-
anything that acts as an incitement to action
the rise in prices was a signal for rebellion
-
-
a variable parameter, such as a current or electromagnetic wave, by which information is conveyed through an electronic circuit, communications system, etc
-
the information so conveyed
-
( as modifier )
signal strength
a signal generator
-
adjective
-
distinguished or conspicuous
-
used to give or act as a signal
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
presignalnoun
-
signalernoun
-
signallernoun
-
resignalverb
-
unsignaledadjective
-
unsignalledadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
signalsimple
-
signalssimple
-
have signaledperfect
-
have signalledperfect
-
has signaledperfect
-
has signalledperfect
-
am signalingprogressive
-
am signallingprogressive
-
are signalingprogressive
-
are signallingprogressive
-
is signalingprogressive
-
is signallingprogressive
-
have been signalingperfect progressive
-
have been signallingperfect progressive
-
has been signalingperfect progressive
-
has been signallingperfect progressive
Past
-
signaledsimple
-
signalledsimple
-
had signaledperfect
-
had signalledperfect
-
was signalingprogressive
-
was signallingprogressive
-
were signalingprogressive
-
were signallingprogressive
-
had been signalingperfect progressive
-
had been signallingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of signal
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English noun from Old French seignal, signal, from Medieval Latin signāle, Late Latin, noun use of neuter of signālis “of a sign”; see sign, -al 2, -al 1
Explanation
A signal is a gesture or message that people use to communicate with each other. The wave you give a good friend to call her over from across the room and the impulse that transmits your voice through the telephone to your mother are both signals. In the course of a single day, you probably send and receive thousands of different signals. When you want to cross the street, you wait for the green light — a signal that it's safe to cross. If you're in a relationship and you're not sure whether you like the person you're dating, you could be sending mixed signals — first acting like you're interested, and then acting uninterested. If your date finally gets tired of your mixed signals while you're at a restaurant, you'll need to signal to your server that it's time for the check.
Vocabulary lists containing signal
Baseball: A Lexicon
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Words for the World Series
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Rather than signal the end of LIV, though, the move is designed to help the league move into the future without Saudi funding.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
It was a blaring signal of defiance and a remarkable diplomatic escalation.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
What’s less clear is whether its president, Christine Lagarde, will signal even more restrictive policy in the months to come or whether she will tack a more cautious, non-committal course.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026
Companies that sell a possible cancer signal should also explain who will interpret the results, coordinate the next tests, and help patients manage the costs.
From Slate ● Sep. 9, 2026
Dit dah dit dah, he flashed again, remembering the signal he had learned with his bear-trap mind.
From "All About Sam" by Lois Lowry
Growth stocks have been down for months, but there are signals that it’s time for them to move higher again.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
The British Heart Foundation explains, external a cardiac arrhythmia ablation involves using heat or cold energy to create tiny scars in the heart to block faulty signals and restore a typical heartbeat.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
The case of Changzhou Xingyu Automotive Lighting Systems, a headlamp manufacturer that supplies Volkswagen among others, signals how sensitive layoffs have become in China’s flagging economy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
One possible explanation is that the Bank of Korea’s mid-July interest rate hike, along with signals that further tightening was likely, prompted investors to adjust their currency exposure.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 7, 2026
A lethargic ding signals my arrival on the fifth floor.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
Zhao also signaled confidence in the company’s technological progress, saying some of its products are now capable of competing with those of leading global memory makers in terms of performance, quality and supply stability.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
But Ohtani’s swings and body language Wednesday signaled that something was clearly wrong, affecting Ohtani’s play.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026
Dolly always sort of signaled her love of the mess of it, and it didn’t bring her down to earth in your eyes, it elevated her even more.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
Nvidia signaled it is willing to pay higher memory-chip prices.
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
It signaled that I was filled with hope once more.
From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals
Leaders say the institutions are "much stronger" together as higher education providers face mounting economic strain, but the University and College Union previously raised concerns that the merger signalled a "broader problem for the sector".
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026
But when the Clippers landed Leonard as a free agent, beating out rivals such as the Los Angeles Lakers, it signalled a new era.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
Tehran signalled last week that it had agreed with Oman a route for ships to transit the strait and were finalising arrangements to jointly manage the waterway.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
Rather than accepting unrestricted freedom of navigation, it has repeatedly signalled that shipping should operate under rules agreed with or administered by Iran.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
The footmen looked relieved to see me, and I immediately signalled them to get to their positions.
From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
A third Marine Expeditionary Unit is preparing to deploy to the region this fall, a U.S. official said, signaling a continuing rotation of the amphibious units that operate from a group of warships.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is quietly extending troop deployments in the Middle East, signaling the conflict could drag into next year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
In the MIT system, engineered bacterial cells perform a similar role by regulating the movement of small signaling molecules.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 4, 2026
The researchers collected EVs from lab-grown astrocytes and tested them with different signaling molecules designed to attract immune cells, encourage blood vessel repair and improve function.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 4, 2026
It is bridged by signaling chemicals called neurotransmitters.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
The China Securities Regulatory Commission recently held informal talks with some investment banks and institutional investors, signalling a higher bar for humanoid-robotics companies seeking to go public, according to people familiar with the matter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
Their statement is a way of "publicly signalling that there is no daylight between the US and UAE positions".
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
“The threat is not limited to superficial damage or coercive signalling but now carries a direct and substantial risk to seafarers,” said Dimitris Maniatis, Marisks’s founder and chief executive.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
"Virtue signalling" about why you are taking time off is another no-no.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
As he drew nearer, he saw it was a massive golden weather vane, signalling to him.
From "The Marvels" by Brian Selznick
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
