mean

¹ American  

[meen] / min /

verb (used with object)

• means,
  present (3rd person singular)
• meant,
  past participle,  past
• meaning
  present participle

1. to have in mind as one's purpose or intention.

   I meant to compliment you on your work.

   Synonyms:

   contemplate, aim, plan, intend

2. to intend for a particular purpose, destination, etc..

   They were meant for each other.

   Synonyms:

   foreordain, destine

3. to intend to express or indicate.

   What do you mean by “liberal”?

4. to have as its sense or signification; signify.

   The word “freedom” means many things to many people.

   Synonyms:

   connote, imply, import, indicate, denote

5. to bring, cause, or produce as a result.

   This bonus means that we can take a trip to Florida.

6. to have (certain intentions) toward a person.

   He didn't mean you any harm.

7. to have the value of; assume the importance of.

   Money means everything to them. She means the world to him.

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verb (used without object)

• means,
  present (3rd person singular)
• meant,
  past participle,  past
• meaning
  present participle

1. to be minded or disposed; have intentions.

   Beware, she means ill, despite her solicitous manner.

idioms

1. mean well, to have good intentions; try to be kind or helpful.

   Her constant queries about your health must be tiresome, but I'm sure she means well.

mean ² American  

[meen] / min /

adjective

• meaner,
  comparative
• meanest
  superlative

1. offensive, selfish, or unaccommodating; nasty; malicious.

   a mean remark;

   He gets mean when he doesn't get his way.

2. small-minded or ignoble.

   mean motives.

   Synonyms:

   despicable, contemptible

3. penurious, stingy, or miserly.

   a person who is mean about money.

   Synonyms:

   selfish, ungenerous, illiberal, parsimonious, tight, close

4. inferior in grade, quality, or character.

   no mean reward.

5. low in status, rank, or dignity.

   mean servitors.

   Synonyms:

   plebeian, undignified, humble, common

6. of little importance or consequence.

   mean little details.

   Synonyms:

   poor, little, paltry, petty, insignificant, inconsequential

7. unimposing or shabby.

   a mean abode.

   Synonyms:

   poor, squalid

8. small, humiliated, or ashamed.

   You should feel mean for being so stingy.

9. Informal. in poor physical condition.

10. troublesome or vicious; bad-tempered.

    a mean old horse.

11. Slang. skillful or impressive.

    He blows a mean trumpet.

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mean ³ American  

[meen] / min /

noun

• means
  plural

1. (used with a singular or plural verb) Usually means an agency, instrument, or method used to attain an end.

   The telephone is a means of communication. There are several means of solving the problem.

2. means,

   1. available resources, especially money.

      They lived beyond their means.

   2. considerable financial resources; riches.

      a man of means.

3. something that is midway between two extremes; something intermediate.

   to seek a mean between cynicism and blind faith.

4. Mathematics.

   1. a quantity having a value intermediate between the values of other quantities; an average, especially the arithmetic mean.

   2. either the second or third term in a proportion of four terms.

5. Statistics. expected value. See mathematical expectation.

6. Logic. the middle term in a syllogism.

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adjective

• meaner,
  comparative
• meanest
  superlative

1. occupying a middle position or an intermediate place, as in kind, quality, degree, or time.

   a mean speed; a mean course; the mean annual rainfall.

idioms

1. by any means, in any way; at all.

   We were not surprised at the news by any means.

2. by means of, with the help of; by the agency of; through.

   We crossed the stream by means of a log.

3. by no means, in no way; not at all.

   The prize is by no means certain.

4. by all means,

   1. (in emphasis) certainly.

      Go, by all means.

   2. at any cost; without fail.

mean ¹ British  

/ miːn /

verb

1. (may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to intend to convey or express

2. (may take a clause as object or an infinitive) intend

   she didn't mean to hurt it

3. (may take a clause as object) to say or do in all seriousness

   the boss means what he says about strikes

4. to destine or design (for a certain person or purpose)

   she was meant for greater things

5. (may take a clause as object) to denote or connote; signify; represent

   examples help show exactly what a word means

6. (may take a clause as object) to produce; cause

   the weather will mean long traffic delays

7. (may take a clause as object) to foretell; portend

   those dark clouds mean rain

8. to have the importance of

   money means nothing to him

9. (intr) to have the intention of behaving or acting (esp in the phrases mean well or mean ill )

10. to be in earnest

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mean ² British  

/ miːn /

noun

1. the middle point, state, or course between limits or extremes

2. moderation

3. maths

   1. the second and third terms of a proportion, as b and c in a/b = c/d

   2. another name for average See also geometric mean

4. statistics a statistic obtained by multiplying each possible value of a variable by its probability and then taking the sum or integral over the range of the variable

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adjective

1. intermediate or medium in size, quantity, etc

2. occurring halfway between extremes or limits; average

mean ³ British  

/ miːn /

adjective

1. miserly, ungenerous, or petty

2. humble, obscure, or lowly

   he rose from mean origins to high office

3. despicable, ignoble, or callous

   a mean action

4. poor or shabby

   mean clothing

   a mean abode

5. informal bad-tempered; vicious

6. informal ashamed

   he felt mean about not letting the children go to the zoo

7. informal unwell; in low spirits

8. slang excellent; skilful

   he plays a mean trombone

9. 1. of high quality

      no mean performer

   2. difficult

      no mean feat

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mean Scientific  

/ mēn /

1. A number or quantity having a value that is intermediate between other numbers or quantities, especially an arithmetic mean or average.

2. See more at arithmetic mean

3. Either the second or third term of a proportion of four terms. In the proportion 2/3 = 4/6, the means are 3 and 4.

4. Compare extreme

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mean ¹ Cultural  

1. An average in statistics. (See under “Physical Sciences and Mathematics.”)

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mean ² Cultural  

1. In statistics, an average of a group of numbers or data points. With a group of numbers, the mean is obtained by adding them and dividing by the number of numbers in the group. Thus the mean of five, seven, and twelve is eight (twenty-four divided by three). (Compare median and mode.)

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mean More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing mean

• means

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Usage

What’s the difference between mean, median, mode, and average? In the context of mathematics and statistics, the word mean refers to what’s informally called the average—the sum of a set of values divided by the number of values. In contrast, the median is the middle number in a set of values when those values are arranged from smallest to largest, while the mode of a set of values is the most frequently repeated value in the set. The word average is of course also very commonly used in more general ways. In math, though, it’s helpful to use more specific terms when determining the most representative or common value in a set of numbers. To illustrate the difference, let’s look at an example set of seven values: 2, 3, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9. To get the mean of this set, you’d add up all the values (2+3+3+4+6+8+9=35) and then divide that total by the number of values (7), resulting in a mean of 5. This is what most people are referring to when they refer to the average of some set of numbers. To find the median, you have to find the one that’s sequentially in the middle. In a set of seven numbers arranged in increasing value, the median is the fourth number (since there are three before and three after). In this set (2, 3, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9), the median is 4. When a set has an even number of values, the median is the mean of the two middle values. The mode is simply the value that shows up the most. In the example set, the mode is 3, since it occurs twice and all the other values occur only once. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between mean, median, mode, and average.

Synonym Usage

See intend.

Mean, low, base, sordid, and vile all refer to ignoble characteristics worthy of dislike, contempt, or disgust. Mean suggests pettiness and small-mindedness: to take a mean advantage. Low suggests coarseness and vulgarity: low company. Base suggests selfish cowardice or moral depravity: base motives. Sordid suggests a wretched uncleanness, or sometimes an avariciousness without dignity or moral scruples: a sordid slum; sordid gain. Vile suggests disgusting foulness or repulsiveness: vile insinuation; a vile creature. See stingy ¹.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• meanness
  noun
• meanly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• means
  plural

Adjectives

• meaner
  comparative
• meanest
  superlative

Participles

• meaning
  present
• meant
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• mean
  simple
• means
  simple
• have meant
  perfect
• has meant
  perfect
• am meaning
  progressive
• are meaning
  progressive
• is meaning
  progressive
• have been meaning
  perfect progressive
• has been meaning
  perfect progressive

Past

• meant
  simple
• had meant
  perfect
• was meaning
  progressive
• were meaning
  progressive
• had been meaning
  perfect progressive

Future

• will mean
  simple
• will have meant
  perfect
• will be meaning
  progressive
• will have been meaning
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of mean¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English menen, Old English mǣnan; cognate with German meinen, Dutch meenen

Origin of mean²

First recorded before 900; Middle English mene, variant of imene, imeane “held or shared in common,” Old English gemǣne “common, general, mutual”; cognate with Dutch gemeen, German gemein “common,” Gothic gamains “in common”; see origin at y-, common

Origin of mean³

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English mene, meine, from Middle French meen, mean, variant of meien, from Latin mediānus “middle, in the middle”; see median

Explanation

If you got a fortune cookie with the message "Your future will contain many bananas," you might ask, "What on earth does that mean?" In other words, you wonder what the intention or meaning of the fortune might be. Mean is one of those ordinary, everyday words with lots of different meanings. The adjective mean can describe someone who's stingy or ungenerous, but it also means "unkind or unfair," which is what a little kid intends to convey when she yells at her mother, "You're mean!" In the sentence, "She lived in a mean little house," mean has yet another meaning, this time being "shabby or poor."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mean means meaner meanest meant meaning

Mergers and acquisitions plus the push for global business mean fewer, larger firms are competing for contracts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

Given the comments about recruitment, he would clearly be within his rights to ask Martinez outright "did you mean me?"

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

Dabla-Norris said governments needed to communicate clearly why consolidation -- which can mean painful spending cuts -- needs to happen.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

Premiering Wednesday on Disney+, “VisionQuest” is a sequel to “WandaVision,” the first of these shows — it began the MCU’s Phase Four, if those words mean anything to you.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

“What? What does that even mean? What aren’t you telling me, Clare?”

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Between the first and second quarter, Anthropic’s revenue grew roughly 140% — which means that the company’s growth has decelerated since the beginning of the year.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026

The move means the Singapore dollar can continue to appreciate at its existing pace, helping to contain imported inflation, he says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

She also said the ophthalmology "capacity appears insufficient to meet the demand", adding that the absence of a national mechanism means those "requiring surveillance for ophthalmic conditions may experience prolonged delays".

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

She means it just as I would if I bragged I can benchpress a beer keg — that is, once I strength-train beyond my piddly 5 lb dumbbells.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

My nights off are Fridays and Saturdays, so Monday morning means I have four shifts left until my weekend.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

The prosecution’s argument is simpler and meaner, almost reminiscent of Steinbeck: Clancy’s actions were premeditated, her way of escaping a life she didn’t want anymore.

From Salon ● Oct. 3, 2026

The Financial Times's Danny Leigh dished out three stars, saying it paints a "portrait of tech rendering the young both sadder and meaner".

From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026

So instead of being better than their neighbors to the north, the Americans leaned into being meaner, heavier and generally more irritating.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 14, 2026

In turn, increased efficiency allows them to be meaner toward prospective employees.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 7, 2026

I tried to ignore them, but that only made them meaner.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson

And more than a few of my closest, meanest friends.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026

"Candidates should not try to be the meanest sheriff."

From Barron's ● Mar. 26, 2026

But the standout character is "queen bee" Regina, head of the Plastics clique and the meanest of the mean girls.

From BBC ● Mar. 18, 2026

I was behind the wheel of the biggest, meanest, greenest, most American street-legal machine in existence.

From Slate ● Jun. 22, 2025

It was the meanest thing I’d ever said to my father in my life, but I wasn’t about to stop myself from going a step farther.

From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith

“My one-week vacation turned into a 12-year stay,” Mandell told The Times in 1992 about what was meant to be a short trip.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

This meant that it "effectively outsourced to third parties a substantial portion of its proactive detection and reporting obligations," the department said.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

But that happiness wasn’t meant to last since the actual Vision was gone.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

Historically, a worm would exploit a fixed set of vulnerabilities, and that meant you could fix these vulnerabilities and prevent the worm from propagating any further to devices that had been updated.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

The First Tree. meant good luck in hunting; maybe it would bring luck to him, too.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

The incubation period for Ebola ranges from two to 21 days, meaning those exposed to the virus may not become ill for several weeks.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

Moynihan said the company had redeployed some staff to fulfill compliance obligations, meaning it won't mean additional costs in the future for these functions.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

Consciousness carries a different meaning, leading people to judge the two much less similarly.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026

Those physical restraints soon assumed another meaning: obligation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

Someday, those on the top of the potato—the selfish land owners, like the Babushkinovs—would be on the bottom, and those currently stuck on the bottom, meaning Svetlana and her fellow serfs, would be on top.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• callous
• dangerous
• evil
• hard
• malicious
• nasty
• rough
• ugly
• vicious
• vile