1
as in moniker
a word or combination of words by which a person or thing is regularly known
"soul" is the common denotation for that mysterious force within the human body that gives it life and yet is separate from it
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2
as in meaning
the idea that is conveyed or intended to be conveyed to the mind by language, symbol, or action
although most people exercise for fitness, the denotation of the term "fitness" varies from exerciser to exerciser
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Recent Examples of denotation
How much control, at this point, the subcommittee can exert over emoji denotation and connotation isn’t clear.
—
Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 29 June 2025
But the New Zealand Department of Conservation lists the reptiles as at risk — relict, a denotation reserved for species that declined to a small population but have since stabilized.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 22 July 2024
Language, unlike code, has connotations and denotations that make organizing it for human consumption a much more complex task, says Dr. Harbin.
—Leonardo Bevilacqua, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 June 2024
What does 4/20 mean? April 20, or 4/20 in its calendar denotation, is a holiday celebrated by many weed-smokers both in the United States and around the globe.
—Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2023
Deaths are included if a person has a positive COVID-19 test and a death certificate denotation, a record of symptoms consistent with COVID-19 that progress from illness to death, or a determination by the medical examiner’s office that there is no other cause of death, Trimble said.
—Dallas News, 5 Aug. 2020
Cleverly staging appearance as disappearance, connotation serves as denotation.
—Jerrine Tan, Wired, 4 Aug. 2022
The word hacker itself seems to carry a whiff of punk rebellion, its implied sophistication contrasting with a denotation of smashing and severing.
—Darryn King, The Atlantic, 14 Nov. 2020
Through this preaching, white dominance in political, judicial, and economic affairs became denotations of the will of the universe instead of means of racial control.
—Jared Yates Sexton, The New Republic, 25 Mar. 2020
Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 29 June 2025
But the New Zealand Department of Conservation lists the reptiles as at risk — relict, a denotation reserved for species that declined to a small population but have since stabilized.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 22 July 2024
Language, unlike code, has connotations and denotations that make organizing it for human consumption a much more complex task, says Dr. Harbin.
—Leonardo Bevilacqua, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 June 2024
What does 4/20 mean? April 20, or 4/20 in its calendar denotation, is a holiday celebrated by many weed-smokers both in the United States and around the globe.
—Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2023
Deaths are included if a person has a positive COVID-19 test and a death certificate denotation, a record of symptoms consistent with COVID-19 that progress from illness to death, or a determination by the medical examiner’s office that there is no other cause of death, Trimble said.
—Dallas News, 5 Aug. 2020
Cleverly staging appearance as disappearance, connotation serves as denotation.
—Jerrine Tan, Wired, 4 Aug. 2022
The word hacker itself seems to carry a whiff of punk rebellion, its implied sophistication contrasting with a denotation of smashing and severing.
—Darryn King, The Atlantic, 14 Nov. 2020
Through this preaching, white dominance in political, judicial, and economic affairs became denotations of the will of the universe instead of means of racial control.
—Jared Yates Sexton, The New Republic, 25 Mar. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for denotation
Noun
-
Her high-visibility free dives with great whites have earned her the moniker Shark Whisperer, the title of a new Netflix film from the Academy Award-winning director of My Octopus Teacher, James Reed.—
Alexandra Gillespie,
Outside Online,
30 June 2025
-
President Donald Trump suggested changing the name of Defense Department back to its pre-World War II moniker as the War Department, after the success in bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
This motivated me to re-educate myself on the meaning of these virtues.—
Bruno V. Manno,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
What kind of despair would people feel upon the discovery that their source of joy, belonging, and meaning was a farce?—
Paul Bloom,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
Well, the elegance of my nomenclature is up for debate.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
28 June 2025
-
Patrons—the official Masters nomenclature for spectators—have long jetted into Augusta for golf’s ritzy Spring major, with a sizeable contingent of affluent fans flying private.—
Mike Dojc,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Noun
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These questions are helping businesses turn everyday items into brand moments and, in some cases, into movements created through commonality and a sense of community. 5.—
Douglas Gregory,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
Does this album feel different from other projects after achieving that sense of liberation?—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
The information includes names, email, dates of birth and Qantas frequent flyer details.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
-
Thomas, a biological male, previously competed for the UPenn men's swimming team from 2017-20 under the name Will Thomas.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
From discussing the cultural significance of luxury timepieces to beautifully showcasing black love, the SUEDE Men’s Experience is delivering authentic moments crafted perfectly for the contemporary man.—
John Lawson,
Essence,
7 July 2025
-
The significance of Ventura’s lawsuit will extend far beyond the trial, Burke, the founder of the #MeToo movement, previously told CNN.—
Lauren Mascarenhas,
CNN Money,
6 July 2025
Noun
-
God Will Not Help was among 17 titles announced on Tuesday as having been selected for Locarno’s International Competition alongside pictures such as Ben Rivers’ Mare’s Nest, Radu Jude’s Dracula and Abdellatif Kechiche’s Mektoub, My Love: Canto Due.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
8 July 2025
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Among the varied titles that made the list, one 2000s flick emerged as a favorite among actors and directors alike.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content.—
Nena Farrell,
Wired News,
11 July 2025
-
This content evolution already began after streamers like Netflix and Amazon entered the advertising market, but there have been a flurry of series co-produced and co-financed between traditional TV groups and SVOD services in the last four years.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Denotation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/denotation. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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