symbol 1 of 2

noun

ˈsim-bəl How to pronounce symbol (audio)
Definition of symbolnext
1
as in emblem
a device, design, or figure used as an identifying mark the traditional physician's symbol of a staff entwined with a snake

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in sign
a written or printed mark that is meant to convey information to the reader the symbol ¶ indicates where a new paragraph should begin symbols such as emoji that are used in texts

Synonyms & Similar Words

symbol

2 of 2

verb

as in to symbolize

Related Words

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 symbol
Noun
Over time, the fan’s association with flamenco helped turn it into a quintessential Spanish symbol. — ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026 Before the Opry doors opened, fans formed a line wrapping around flower beds filled with butterflies, Parton’s longtime symbol. — Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
The laser eyes symbol that Saylor incorporated into his profile picture started in online Bitcoin communities but has spread to the mainstream. — Fortune, 13 June 2022 Press and hold the app icon, tap App Info (the i symbol), and tap Permissions. — Julian Chokkattu, Wired, 8 Sep. 2020 See All Example Sentences for symbol
Recent Examples of Synonyms for symbol
  1. emblem
  2. sign
  3. symbolize
  4. logo
  5. icon
  6. represent
  7. trademark
  8. letter
Noun
  • People choose emblems, like a star or a flower, for a little flair.
    — Christine Lennon, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The group’s early music was lo-fi, vintage-leaning, and just twee enough to make the scrappy garage rockers an emblem of early-mid aughts Urban Outfitters hipsterdom.
    — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of emblem
Noun
  • But rather than placing a higher hurdle on the bill, the maneuver is considered a sign of its popularity as a temporary stopgap.
    — Bart Jansen, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Mars in your sign challenges disciplined Saturn, creating the deeply irritating experience of feeling motivated and blocked at the same time.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of sign
Verb
  • Built in the final years of United National Movement (UNM) rule (2004–2012), their ultracontemporary design symbolized the pro-Western approach of the UNM’s leader, Mikhail Saakashvili.
    — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Skenes’ recent inconsistency symbolizes a larger step back by the Pittsburgh rotation since the All-Star break, with Jared Jones and Mitch Keller also struggling, pushing the Bucs to the fringe of the playoff race.
    — Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of symbolize
Noun
  • The Murray Hill man wears a fleece vest embroidered with his employer’s logo (the bank, the fund) ten months out of the year.
    — Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Both company’s come together on a leather tag attached to the laces, featuring the brands’ logos.
    — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of logo
Noun
  • Bullock shared her memories of the icon one day after Parton died following a brief battle with cancer at age 80, her representatives confirmed to PEOPLE.
    — Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The country music icon's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was allegedly vandalized after her death; it was already set to be replaced because of existing cracks, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce told Los Angeles news station ABC 7.
    — Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of icon
Verb
  • For the traditional Telugu Hindu ceremony, their priest translated Sanskrit to English in real time, and the mandap was designed as a circle to represent how life flows into itself for eternity.
    — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Dontay Wilson, president of UAW Local 31, which represents employees at the General Motors plant, said workers want stability after years of uncertainty.
    — Cuyler Dunn, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of represent
Noun
  • The distinctly Finnish Marimekko In Finland, bold graphics have become the trademark of Marimekko, the company whose fabrics, housewares and fashions have been adding vibrant colors and design to the world for 75 years.
    — David Morgan, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Film buffs see this process as akin to an anointing; the trademark C, tucked into the upper-left corner of a plastic clamshell, signals a movie’s importance.
    — Sophia Nguyen, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of trademark
Noun
  • But the lobbyist has doubled down on her criticism of McCuskey in a recent letter to Illinois’ four top legislative leaders and obtained by the Tribune.
    — Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • White formally declared for the draft in a letter sent to the WNBA league office by his attorney, former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz.
    — Jackson Thompson , Patricia Babcock McGraw OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of letter

Browse Nearby Words

symbiotically
symbol
symboled
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Cite this Entry

“Symbol.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/symbol. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on symbol

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about symbol

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