signifying
1 of 2noun
sig·ni·fy·ing ˈsig-nə-ˌfī-iŋ 
variants or less commonly signifyin'
ˈsig-nə-ˌfī-in
or signifyin African American English
: an African American linguistic practice involving the indirect expression of ideas especially through playful gibes and clever often preposterous put-downs
"Twitter lets the Black community do the thing that it does best, which is signifying—being able to use wordplay or turns of phrase to change the meaning of certain events, to either be more humorous or more critical."
André Brock
André BrockSubjects of signifyin range from physical appearance to Black institutions to current global affairs, and everything in between. Shingi Mavima
Shingi Mavima also : dozens
signifying
2 of 2present participle of signify
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Wired, 14 July 2022 Many immigrant communities have a form of signifying. Jason Parham, Wired, 15 July 2021 His millennial-friendly update to such signifying was to rebrand it all as a personal affirmation. Chris Martins, Billboard, 8 June 2017
Noun
These categories are allegories for broader economic processes that a single word is incapable of signifying. Wired, 14 July 2022 Many immigrant communities have a form of signifying. Jason Parham, Wired, 15 July 2021 His millennial-friendly update to such signifying was to rebrand it all as a personal affirmation. Chris Martins, Billboard, 8 June 2017 Word History
First Known Use
Noun
1926, in the meaning defined above
signifying 1 of 2
adjective
as in indicative
indicating something his tendency to use weasel words is seen as a signifying character trait Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- indicative
- denoting
- reflective
- telltale
- characteristic
- significant
- denotative
- symbolic
- referring
- alluding
- connoting
- implying
- symbolical
- allusive
- exhibiting
- expressive
- symptomatic
- hinting
- demonstrative
- insinuating
- suggestive
signifying
2 of 2verb
1
as in mattering
to be of importance never mind, as the color of the room doesn't signify in the least Synonyms & Similar Words
- mattering
- meaning
- weighing
- affecting
- influencing
- cutting ice
- carrying weight
- counting
- concerning
- importing
- swaying
- adding up (to)
- amounting (to)
2
as in denoting
to communicate or convey (as an idea) to the mind the symbol failed to signify anything to me—until I realized that it was upside down Synonyms & Similar Words
- denoting
- meaning
- implying
- indicating
- spelling
- expressing
- intending
- symbolizing
- suggesting
- connoting
- representing
- importing
- intimating
- explaining
- inferring
- hinting
- announcing
- embodying
- signaling
- specifying
- proclaiming
- personifying
- epitomizing
- mentioning
- designating
- citing
- symboling
- insinuating
- symbolling
- adverting
- declaring
- signalling
- elucidating
- touching (on or upon)
- adding up (to)
- alluding (to)
- amounting (to)
- pointing (to)
- instancing
- referring (to)
3
as in indicating
to serve as a sign or symptom of the opening of the new mall signifies the city's overdue emergence from economic depression Synonyms & Similar Words
- indicating
- denoting
- meaning
- betokening
- presaging
- foretelling
- bespeaking
- boding
- telling (of)
- pointing (to)
- foreshowing