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.

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

The box office totals for the subsequent weekends after a film’s opening were more important to him than its debut, as it signified moviegoers essentially voting for a film by going back again and again.

From Los Angeles Times

“Just all the pain, all the suffering, all the longing, all the workouts, all the late nights, all the no-love, no-opportunity, that run signified the release of that,” his father said.

From Los Angeles Times

If the girl was able to chomp down on her desired apple on the first try, that signified that she was destined to be with her sweetheart.

From Salon

That moment in Northampton signified how far not only Hele has come, but South African women's rugby as a whole.

From BBC

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