mean
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Those complications mean large quantities of PVC ultimately end up in landfills.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 29, 2026
She also made clear that a Yes vote did not necessarily mean that Iceland would join, and that if there was a No vote, the result would be respected.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
It would also probably mean falling short of the Playoff.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
I mean, seriously: We’re fighting a trade war with Canada?
From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2026
‘I mean, really, what chance do we have?’
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
![]()
That means people in the U.S. or other countries who bought melatonin over the counter without having it entered into their medical records could have been incorrectly classified as nonusers.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 29, 2026
The Rams trading for Tutu Atwell means only one thing, Puka Nacua is about to be suspended.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026
A market correction generally means a decline of at least 10% from a recent high, while a drop of 20% or more defines a bear market.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026
That history means the very name Tibet draws China's censors.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
To most people, the name means "This was once a horse," but to Don Alonso, it meant a steed above and beyond all other horses in the world!
From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios
![]()
The Financial Times's Danny Leigh dished out three stars, saying it paints a "portrait of tech rendering the young both sadder and meaner".
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
The meaner the Pistons get, the more their record improves.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 4, 2026
In turn, increased efficiency allows them to be meaner toward prospective employees.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 7, 2026
“Some people are more culpable than others. They get more jokes made about them, and the jokes are meaner because they're doing things that are worse,” Bee says.
From Salon ● Apr. 2, 2025
“Rowdy is just going to get meaner and meaner,” Mr. P said.
From "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie
![]()
"Candidates should not try to be the meanest sheriff."
From Barron's ● Mar. 26, 2026
Given Chelsea boast the meanest defence in the division with just six goals conceded from 12 games, being clinical at the other end could be a lethal combination.
From BBC ● Jan. 11, 2026
Readers eventually learn how Odd, whom Buddy describes as “the meanest human creature in my experience,” ends up at Buddy’s home for the holiday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025
So, whenever my phone lights up, I can trust that I’m about to read the meanest, funniest joke imaginable about, like, Marco Rubio.
From Slate ● Jun. 26, 2025
She was maybe the meanest living woman in Indiana now that Miss Myrt was no more.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
![]()
The situation on Saturday - the conditions and broken play – meant extra value could be placed on any contribution with the bat.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
But it also meant many in tech also have just been talking to each other in an echo chamber of their own creation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
Emergency teams had been racing to retrieve survivors from affected zones, where the widespread devastation meant food and water supplies were running out.
From Barron's ● Aug. 29, 2026
The message feels, in many ways, meant for Riley.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
I meant to stay awake all night for J.W.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
![]()
The last 20 years, Marx said, have been one big “lowest-common-denominator fight for attention,” meaning it was easier than ever to remain a public figure and make money off the resulting eyeballs.
From Salon ● Aug. 29, 2026
They claimed that the work collapsed several species of snakes together in synonymy, meaning that different types of creatures were treated as if they were the same one.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
The Boé chimpanzees performing the behavior are unhabituated; they are not used to humans, meaning that we cannot observe individual chimpanzees on foot because they will run away.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 28, 2026
Doctors will not declare her stable until next year, meaning her husband must balance his new official duties with her care.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
But now I can’t tell if it means anything at all or if I’m just so desperate for meaning that I’m inventing it where there is none.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
![]()
Vocabulary lists containing mean
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Commonly Confused Words, List 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Psychology
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!