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mean to

Idioms  

  1. Intend to, as in I meant to go running this morning but got up too late, or I'm sorry I broke it—I didn't mean to. This idiom was first recorded in 1560.

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.

“That’s what yesterday’s decision should mean to everybody.”

From Slate • Apr. 30, 2026

"For this driver, I think there is no target, no pressure other than enjoy karting to get maximum experience, but also to understand what does it mean to be a McLaren driver."

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

What did filming this final scene mean to you?

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

From what you say in your letter, it frustrates you that he does not seem to understand — or respect — what this $6 million in retirement savings mean to you.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

It was weird because Darren wasn’t being mean to me like he normally was at school.

From Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff

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.