EN

Synonyms for signify

25 synonyms
1 meaning

verb

Most common

indicate imply denote allude sign

All synonyms

Verb

1. Indicate

mean, indicate, imply, denote, allude, represent, stand for, make known, express, declare, intend, purport, manifest, insinuate, show, communicate, spell, import, betoken, intimate, prefigure, designate

Other

matter, sign, carry

Definitions

v. 1
To create a sign out of something.

Related words

Word family: signifier

Forms

Past participle: signified
e.g. signified → meant, indicated, implied, denoted…

Choose the right word

Signify, Indicate, Intimate, Imply or Suggest?

One may indicate his wishes, intimate his plans, imply his opinion, signify his will, suggest a course of action.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

indicate Indicate size, color, and style on the order form.
imply A good education doesn't imply a good upbringing.
denote We use the symbol “⊂” to denote proper inclusion.
sign He was made to sign the contract against his will.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
signify		rising
indicate		falling
imply		steady
denote		steady
allude		rising
sign		rising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

4 letters: show¹, mean¹, sign¹
5 letters: carry², spell¹, imply²
6 letters: matter², intend², import², denote², allude²
7 letters: express², declare², purport², betoken
8 letters: indicate³, intimate³, manifest³
9 letters: represent³, designate³, insinuate⁴, prefigure
11 letters: communicate⁴

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (carry² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: signifier
Italiano: significare
Español: significar
Deutsch: bedeuten
Català: significar