signify
Americanverb (used with object)
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signifies,
present (3rd person singular)
-
signified,
past participle, past
-
signifying
present participle
verb (used without object)
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signifies,
present (3rd person singular)
-
signified,
past participle, past
-
signifying
present participle
verb
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(tr) to indicate, show, or suggest
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(tr) to imply or portend
the clouds signified the coming storm
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(tr) to stand as a symbol, sign, etc (for)
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informal (intr) to be significant or important
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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signifysimple
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signifiessimple
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have signifiedperfect
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has signifiedperfect
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am signifyingprogressive
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are signifyingprogressive
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is signifyingprogressive
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have been signifyingperfect progressive
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has been signifyingperfect progressive
Past
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signifiedsimple
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had signifiedperfect
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was signifyingprogressive
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were signifyingprogressive
-
had been signifyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of signify
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English signifien, from Old French signifier, from Latin significāre “to make a sign, indicate, mention, denote”; equivalent to sign + -ify
Explanation
To signify means to "mean." When Paul Revere looked for the lanterns in the church tower, he knew that one would signify that the British were coming by land and two would indicate that they were coming by sea. When objects are endowed with symbolic meaning, they are said to signify things. A dove signifies peace, a six-pointed star signifies Judaism, a frog signifies fertility, a trident signifies the Hindu Shiva or the Greek Poseidon.
Vocabulary lists containing signify
Academic Vocabulary: Core Tier 2 Words, List 4
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Divergent
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Tears of a Tiger
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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:
Tens of thousands of gig drivers have signed cards in support of the union, but the union did not say whether the cards signify official membership.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
The rally is causing momentum indicators to flash signals that could signify a heavily crowded trade ripe for a correction.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 16, 2026
Disney said in its news release that it is a new certification for premium large format theaters and “will signify to audiences which auditoriums offer the biggest, brightest, and most immersive cinematic experiences.”
From Barron's ● May 22, 2026
Stylistically, Gay differs slightly from England's current opening pair when facing the new ball and could signify a shift in mentality at the top of the order.
From BBC ● Apr. 28, 2026
I left my brethren rapt in conversation regarding what this mark of special notice might signify.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
According to the latest figures, they have now recorded 5,570 trees, a number which Lost Woods outreach adviser, Bob Epsom, said is more than "we expected" and signifies a "milestone" for the project.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
“That $10 million signifies the potential for a true comeback,” Abaunza said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
A reading above 50 signifies economic growth, while one below 50 indicates contraction.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
However, the move for airlines stocks—and cruise operators—is still sizable and signifies the next leg up for the sector’s recovery.
From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026
REELTOK: Here's question one: In the Jewish faith, a bar mitzvah signifies the beginning of manhood.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
Recording a new album became a therapeutic experience that signified a new artistic journey and a chance to discover himself in the process.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
What he did at those Olympic Games 90 Augusts ago—and what it signified to a world on the verge of a global war that would cancel the Olympics until 1948—still resounds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
"So that wall of noise, for me, signified breaking out of a traditional mould, both as a human, but also musically."
From BBC ● May 2, 2026
Palantir’s Artificial Intelligence Platform signified a breakthrough, as customers realized Palantir could provide AI solutions that were effective, Luria said.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 4, 2026
It still makes me shiver to think of the dull, distant drone that signified the approaching destruction.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
Congress codified a regulation defining a professional degree as signifying “completion of the academic requirements for beginning practice in a given profession” for which a “professional licensure is also generally required.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Davis, 53, announced the news with an Instagram video on Tuesday that showed the actor ringing the Bell of Hope, signifying she’d completed a round of cancer treatment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
As the national market remains stagnant, a shift is underway in many local real-estate markets, signifying a major turning point in the housing market.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026
Head of football operations Damian Vidagany held his hands on his head at the final whistle, signifying a release of pressure, before embracing Tielemans.
From BBC ● May 20, 2026
Seeing her, he had tucked up one bottom end of his apron into the belt, signifying that he was off duty for the moment and had come from behind the bar to meet her.
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
