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
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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
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as in to symbolize
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of symbol
Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 4 Jan. 2025
Struck by shrapnel: Celine Haidar, the ‘Little Captain’ who became a symbol of war’s destruction
At just 19 years old, Celine Haidar had already been called up to the Lebanese national team.
—Jacob Whitehead, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025
Julian Chokkattu, Wired, 8 Sep. 2020
The Unicode Consortium—the organization in charge of determining which symbols our devices are supposed to recognize—has more and more been measuring the wrong thing in the process of approving new emoji.
—Wired, 8 Nov. 2019
See all Example Sentences for symbol 
Noun
The symbol stamped on your Real ID card will vary, depending on the state it was issued in.
—Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 4 Jan. 2025
Struck by shrapnel: Celine Haidar, the ‘Little Captain’ who became a symbol of war’s destruction
At just 19 years old, Celine Haidar had already been called up to the Lebanese national team.
—Jacob Whitehead, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025
Verb
Press and hold the app icon, tap App Info (the i symbol), and tap Permissions.
—Julian Chokkattu, Wired, 8 Sep. 2020
The Unicode Consortium—the organization in charge of determining which symbols our devices are supposed to recognize—has more and more been measuring the wrong thing in the process of approving new emoji.
—Wired, 8 Nov. 2019
See all Example Sentences for symbol
Recent Examples of Synonyms for symbol
Noun
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The baby becomes an emblem of what Lynch can do: create images that live in your mind and burrow under your skin.—
Esther Zuckerman,
New York Times,
17 Jan. 2025
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The bald eagle has been a significant symbol of the United States since 1782, when it was chosen as the national emblem.—
Renan Botelho,
WWD,
9 Jan. 2025
Noun
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In a sign that demand for high-end listings will quickly outpace supply, Eckardt hosted showings on Thursday for four rental properties.—
Tatiana Siegel,
Variety,
11 Jan. 2025
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Weather reports have shown no signs of rain that might help relieve the intensity of the fires.—
James Bickerton,
Newsweek,
10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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In the center of the back of the coin, a large cross was meant to symbolize imperial power, establishing Otto III’s Christianity and blending it with the power of the empire, according to historians.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
17 Jan. 2025
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The title comes from what Charlotte, missing her soulmate, scribbles on the remnants of Adam’s mural (symbolizing the memory of him pressed on her heart).—
Courtney Howard,
Variety,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Walmart’s logo now uses a chunkier font compared to its previous iteration, with the new font being inspired from a typeface the chain used from the 1980s through the early 2000s.—
Jordan Valinsky,
CNN,
13 Jan. 2025
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Today’s social media influencers in nearby Wynwood may easily miss the the store, a 7,500-square-foot white cinder-block showroom with green shamrock logo in what was once billed as Miami’s Fashion District on Northwest Sixth Avenue hugging I-95.—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
13 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Newsom sent a letter on Friday inviting the incoming president to California to meet with fire victims, survey the devastation in Los Angeles County and join him in thanking first responders.—
Julia Wick,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Jan. 2025
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Each November, healthcare watchdog nonprofit The Leapfrog Group assigns hospitals letter grades based on noted issues and standards of care.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
11 Jan. 2025
Verb
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This means that today's versions represent their least capable state.—
Timothy Papandreou,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
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Earthquake magnitudes are measured on a logarithmic scale, meaning each whole number increase represents a tenfold increase in power of the seismic waves, resulting in approximately 31.6 times more energy released.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
15 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Riley first filed for the trademark at the beginning of the 1988-89 season with the Lakers on the brink of a third straight title.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
9 Jan. 2025
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With her trademark oversize glasses, red lipstick and short cropped gray hair, Apfel’s status as a fashion icon lives on, with Dr. Scholl’s recently unfurling a limited-edition shoe collection designed with some of her archival prints.—
Miles Socha,
WWD,
9 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Who’s getting which job, which celebrity will wear what, and what, exactly, will people want to buy in order to embody that evolved version of themselves?—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vogue,
13 Jan. 2025
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This film embodies the spirit of community through a small group of local Ukrainians that captured the hearts of a global audience through social media posts in the early chaotic days of the Russian invasion.—
Beatrice Verhoeven,
The Hollywood Reporter,
12 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Symbol.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/symbol. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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