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.
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Chelsea's £117m move for Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers was a genuine transfer window shock, but how did they do it and what does it mean for the rest of the squad?
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
The trimmed mean and weighted median measures of underlying inflation preferred by the Bank of Canada averaged 1.85% annually in June, below the bank’s 2% target and at the softest level since 2020.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
That could either mean the amount of memory per AI chip increases, or chip clusters would have to get larger for more weights, Bryson said in a Monday note.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
What does it mean for you to be breaking down barriers for reggaeton Mexa?
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
“I personally don’t mean to take part and may well be absent. The idea.”
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
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As a means of crowd control, the National Park Service has attempted to funnel people out of the valley, where the majority of tourists spend their time and into its less frequented locations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
"I can go live whenever I want...which means it works absolutely perfectly for me as a Mum. I can put my daughter to sleep and I can just hit go live and do some sales."
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
The 14-day restraining order means Paramount won’t close the deal before the end of the month as it had hoped.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
As research firm GlobalData TS Lombard wrote in a note to clients last week, a slowing economy, combined with “the blistering rally in crack spreads,” means equities could stall in the near term.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
“There are few things I enjoy more than watching a young person succeed in this world, whatever that means to them.”
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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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
But there’s still an element of camp and goofy humor that lingers, taking away from the script’s leaner, meaner elements.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2025
She sounded even meaner than when she’d said “No free egg rolls.”
From "One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia
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"Candidates should not try to be the meanest sheriff."
From Barron's ● Mar. 26, 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
And of course there is the Ben White issue - the Arsenal defender has been a huge part of the Premier League's meanest defence but remains unavailable for selection.
From BBC ● May 20, 2024
It was like I was playing some kind of Dad Devastator III video game or something — I just couldn’t stop saying the coldest, meanest things that popped into my head.
From "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick
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Chinese diplomats told me the staging wasn’t meant to belittle Putin, noting that the two figures occupy roughly equal portions of the picture’s frame.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Second, it’s unclear what Desai meant by “non-statutory” policies and provisions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Matthew O'Brien of NRW's reservoir safety group said the Reservoirs Act 1975, meant owners were responsible "for ensuring their reservoirs are properly maintained and managed".
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
According to folks online, the final treat is meant to taste like cookie dough — but healthier.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
Torak didn’t know what the marks meant, but when Renn saw them she gasped.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
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Dáithí was born in 2016 with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, meaning the left side of his heart did not form correctly.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
The funds in an HSA are portable — meaning they stay with you no matter where you work — and can be used to pay for qualified medical expenses.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
Economists also estimate that at 2.50%, the RBNZ’s official cash rate could be as much as 75 basis points below neutral, meaning the central bank still has more work to do to cool down inflation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Today, around 9.5 million people — 1 in 5 federal student loan borrowers — are in default, meaning they are more than nine months behind on their payments.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
It was such a strange little soliloquy, but I could feel her sincerity, her meaning, her gratitude.
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
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Vocabulary lists containing mean
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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Commonly Confused Words, List 2
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Psychology
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