means 1 of 2

Definition of meansnext
present tense third-person singular of mean

means

2 of 2

noun

plural of mean
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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of means
Verb
Bacon notes the Department of Corrections receives almost all its money from the general fund so more money for corrections means less for education, transportation, and Medicaid. Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026 Keep in mind, tulips require full sun, which means at least six hours of bright, direct sunlight a day. Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 28 Apr. 2026 To mark the milestone, Yellen spoke with Fortune about what this means to her and the most pressing political and economic questions of the day. Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026 Achievement means so much more than just the accolades, the business results and the promotions or career milestones. Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 28 Apr. 2026 In the meantime, read on for what Venus trine Pluto means for your zodiac sign. Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026 Booking a hotel means paying for a second place to sleep while already covering the cost of a cruise cabin. Jessica Mekles, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026 That means the strike that began on April 4 at midnight will continue. Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026 That means providing wages that reflect the cost of living and the complexity of this work. David Rich, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
One chapter closes, another opens The destruction of several Russian Kamov Ka-52s using drones doesn’t signal the end of the attack helicopter by any means. Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 27 Apr. 2026 Still, this isn’t a bad group by any means, and the team could easily go into the season with Barmore, Durden, Taylor, Williams and Farmer/Gregory. Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 27 Apr. 2026 This isn't a bad thing by any means. Kyle Thomas, PEOPLE, 26 Apr. 2026 In other words, life during wartime means putting up with some inconvenience. Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2026 But the spray painter probably has no idea what that piece of metal means to so many. Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 26 Apr. 2026 How staying ready means not having to get ready. Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026 But in discharging this function, poets are in danger of slighting another imperative, namely, to redress poetry as poetry, to set it up as its own category, an eminence established and a pressure exercised by distinctly linguistic means. Nick Laird, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026 However, each secured their freedom through unique means — Rainey through purchase, Smalls through escape, and Murray through emancipation. CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for means
Verb
  • The Red Sox were held to three or fewer runs in 15 of their first 26 games, and seven of the club’s 10 lineup regulars had an OPS+ of less than 100, which signifies below league-average offensive production.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Summer signifies les grandes vacances, when the French take off parts of July and the entire month of August to flit to their country homes or the coast.
    Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • August 23 – September 22 Clarity matters most today when money or responsibilities come up.
    Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
  • However, Cunningham says consistency matters more than materials when choosing the best bedroom flooring.
    Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • In a court filing Tuesday, prosecutors said Fairley intends to plead guilty in the sports betting case and a separate case in which he and others are accused of scheming to obtain nonpublic information to bet on college basketball and Chinese Basketball Association games.
    Michael R. Sisak, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Overall, Barclays intends to return more than £15 billion of capital to shareholders between 2026 and 2028.
    Chloe Taylor,Hugh Leask,Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Hotel security footage captured Secret Service officers drawing their weapons moments later, and a subsequent clip indicates that the intruder was captured before reaching a staircase leading down to the event.
    Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Sorsby further contends the timing of his NIL payments indicates he was paid to play football and not for use of his NIL.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Rodriguez measures in at 6 feet 1 3/8, 231 pounds and was a tackling machine for the Red Raiders, the same school which produced current Dolphins All-Pro linebacker Jordyn Brooks and Hall of Famer Zach Thomas.
    David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
  • On the other, governments across the hemisphere are experimenting with approaches that emphasize economic liberalization and strong security measures.
    Armando Regil Velasco, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • They are left wielding the tools of instrumentality: in-groups and cliques, buying effort through more money, coercive employment agreements and suits against whistleblowers.
    Dave Winsborough, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
  • Holding the weight of cotton’s influence on the world, and thus the instrumentality of Black labor, is painful, yet necessary work.
    Cierra Black, Essence, 9 July 2025
Noun
  • The groups cited a Vanguard study that found the retirement wealth of nonprofit workers could increase at least $525 million annually if CITs were allowed in 403(b) plans.
    Taylor Millard, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
  • Jackson is accused of wiring the employee $168,000, and Mayers claims this was another attempt to falsely report his wealth during bankruptcy proceedings.
    Irene Wright, USA Today, 1 May 2026
Verb
  • The cancellation of the Louisiana event implies that there might be more uncertainty there than O’Neil has been willing to admit.
    Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
  • But that quote implies the chaos always works in the opposite direction to the plan.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Means.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/means. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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