Synonyms

signified

American

[sig-nuh-fahyd] / ˈsɪg nəˌfaɪd /

noun

Semiotics.

the thing or concept denoted by an arrangement of sounds or symbols, an object, an action, etc., which constitutes a pattern or unit, and which communicates meaning.

Etymology

Origin of signified

First recorded in 1630–40; signify + -ed ²

Compare meaning

How does signified compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

signifier vs. signified

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.

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

In popular usage, it assumes the thing signified must be false, whereas people do conspire, and it is reasonable to devise theories about their schemes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025

Khan's media advisor Zulfi Bukhari said the latest sentences signified "a black day for democracy", AFP news agency reported.

From BBC • Jul. 31, 2025

In practice, it signified a falling from the grace of a great height to unimaginable depths.

From Salon • Jun. 10, 2025

What signified was not the tales we told, commonplace or fantastical, but the gestures, the silence of friends as another recounted.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023