signpost
Americannoun
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a post bearing a sign that shows the way, as at a roadside
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something that serves as a clue or indication; sign
verb
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to mark with signposts
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to indicate direction towards
the camp site is signposted from the road
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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signpostsimple
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signpostssimple
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have signpostedperfect
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has signpostedperfect
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am signpostingprogressive
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are signpostingprogressive
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is signpostingprogressive
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have been signpostingperfect progressive
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has been signpostingperfect progressive
Past
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signpostedsimple
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had signpostedperfect
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was signpostingprogressive
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were signpostingprogressive
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had been signpostingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of signpost
Explanation
A signpost is a raised marker on the side of a road that provides some kind of information — like how many miles you have to travel to a landmark (like the golden arches of McDonald's). A signpost can mark a historical site, a business, or the distance to a city. Smaller roads that meet at an intersection or crossroads often have a signpost marked with arrows and town names, making it clear which direction you should go. Sometimes signpost is used figuratively, to mean an indicator or hint: "The mayor's vote to fund a new school acted as a signpost to her feelings about education in general."
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:
On the side of a dirt road near Felix's farm, a large signpost warned ominously: "Foot-and-mouth disease control area".
From Barron's ● Mar. 13, 2026
The council's strategic and resources committee on Friday decided it should "suspend posting on its account and signpost followers towards the council's other social media channels".
From BBC ● Jan. 23, 2026
What I was thinking, in fact, was that I was quite underwhelmed by the faded red curbs as a signpost for progress.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 22, 2026
Michael O’Leary was holding court in a small conference room in front of a giant image of him conking Elon Musk over the head with an “I heart Ryanair” signpost.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 21, 2026
Another cross to the memory of Queen Eleanor stood at the dividing point, but no signpost.
From "The Door in the Wall" by Marguerite de Angeli
As the Spurs dethroned the defending champions on their home floor, the 22-year-old Wembanyama didn’t just match the early-career signposts of the greatest players in NBA history.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026
“There’ll be a number of signposts that we’ll be watching,” Wirth said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2026
For now, it’s difficult to say where prices for gold and silver may go from here, Marex’s Meir said, given that there are “no resistance signposts on the charts.”
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 12, 2026
"There are no houses, or even any signposts left, to tell you there was once a neighbourhood here," he said.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2025
We pass a busy ticket hall full of vendors and rows of glass hatches, lines of seats and signposts.
From "Without Refuge" by Jane Mitchell
“All In the Family” signposted its main character’s irascible bigotry and generation-gap grievances in the first minute by having its main character sing wistfully of a time when “Guys like me we had it made.”
From Salon ● Apr. 25, 2026
She went off work with stress in December 2021 and had regular contact with Dr Swinghurst, who prescribed anti-depressants, signposted her to mental health support and provided a sick note until April 2022.
From BBC ● Dec. 11, 2025
It signposted its recent five-year plan, which has been approved by the government.
From BBC ● Feb. 6, 2025
The service has seen a spike in the past month but this may be down to more people becoming aware of it after they signposted it on their website.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2024
What I haven’t recognized till now is that the answers are signposted.
From "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak
Like Guedez, many residents pushed on with their desperate search despite the signposting.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
"This can start with the basics of better communication and signposting to support services that charities like Versus Arthritis can offer."
From BBC ● Nov. 30, 2023
BMI Research analysts said "given that the global economy is slowing, the group will likely want to maintain their current cuts, while signposting the scope for further reductions, if market conditions demand it."
From Reuters ● Oct. 3, 2023
The plaintiff is a TV writer who says Delta’s “carbon-neutral” signposting misled her and that “she would not have purchased said flights on the same terms had they known those representations were not true.”
From Slate ● Jun. 2, 2023
It’s not that authors should avoid signposting altogether.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
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.
