1
: sign, indication
2
a
: an act, event, or watchword that has been agreed on as the occasion of concerted action
b
: something that incites to action
3
: something (such as a sound, gesture, or object) that conveys notice or warning
4
a
: an object used to transmit or convey information beyond the range of human voice
b
: the sound or image conveyed in telegraphy, telephony, radio, radar, or television
c
: a detectable physical quantity or impulse (such as a voltage, current, or magnetic field strength) by which messages or information can be transmitted
signaled or signalled; signaling or signalling
ˈsig-nə-liŋ 
1
: to notify by a signal
signal the fleet to turn back
2
a
: to communicate or indicate by or as if by signals
signaled the end of an era
b
: to constitute a characteristic feature of (a meaningful linguistic form)
: to make or send a signal
signaler
noun
or signaller
Synonyms
Examples of signal in a Sentence
Noun
He likes her but he is sending the wrong signals with his constant teasing.
The teacher gave us the signal to finish what we were working on and hand in our tests.
Faulty wiring in the train station caused a signal to malfunction.
Verb
Robins signal the arrival of spring.
The election results surely signal the start of a new era.
A lock on the suitcase might signal that there's something of value inside.
Did he signal before he made the left turn?
They signaled at me to come over to their table.
He signaled us that it was time to begin the meeting.
The umpire signaled a strike.
Adjective
Is he worthy of such a signal honor?
the Louisiana Purchase is cited by many historians as one of the most signal events in American history
Recent Examples on the Web
Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 17 Apr. 2024
Astronomers in the 1980s detected in Mercury’s exosphere atomic sodium, potassium and calcium, metals with strong emission signals that can be observed all the way from Earth with telescopes.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Apr. 2024
The guidance mechanism, coupled with spoofing-resistant antennae, allows the drone to maintain an accurate flight path far beyond the range of drones controlled using radio signals.
—William Neff, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024
Any hope of limiting the scope of the term evaporated when information theorists detached it from acoustics altogether and applied it to any ambient activity that hinders a signal.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
This dual-band router, 2.4GHz and 5GHz, can be used in a mesh configuration, resulting in a strong Wi-Fi signal throughout the house.
—Shubham Yewale, PCMAG, 15 Apr. 2024
The Utah array can last months to years but can stop working when scar tissue forms around the implant and interferes with its ability to pick up signals from nearby neurons.
—Emily Mullin, WIRED, 15 Apr. 2024
California leadership – political, industry and labor – should be wondering if subpar business performances in 2022 and 2023 are hiccups or signals of widening economic hurdles across the state.
—Jonathan Lansner, Orange County Register, 11 Apr. 2024
Scalia’s argument was a signal to conservative states to keep trying—especially as the Supreme Court has moved further to the right.
—TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
Christopher Rugaber, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2024
There was also an and-one layup finish that got the crowd going early — one that prompted a Miller scowl and flex as if to signal to the 16,374 on hand: Today is my day.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2024
The fact that both a full-budget veto and shutdown are even in the conversation signals the disconnect that remains between Youngkin and Democrats, who control both the House of Delegates and the Senate.
—Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
Even the banks, including UBS, have signaled support for major parts of the reform agenda.
—Bastian Benrath, Fortune Europe, 4 Apr. 2024
Both Egypt and the U.S. have signaled their strong opposition to such a scenario, which could further destabilize the region.
—Mairav Zonszein, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
This is a complex signaling system that works to maintain homeostasis.
—Isla G. Roy, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Still, young voters said the grassroots movement was the best way to signal their desire for a cease-fire.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 2 Apr. 2024
Some say Hollywood Boulevard renovation could signal a new era.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024
Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2024
The investigation was first reported by NBC News following its earlier reporting on the apparent availability of signal jammers on Amazon’s marketplace.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024
The measure would add 300 miles of improvements for buses, including bus lanes and signal prioritization for public transit, proponents say.
—Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024
The size of an area and its population density also can affect signal quality.
—Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, The Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2024
Penetrating arrays can cause inflammation and scarring of the brain tissue, which can lead to a loss of signal quality over time.
—Emily Mullin, WIRED, 23 Dec. 2023
High-speed laser comms would be a boon for space exploration, although there are still some general hurdles to overcome: Beams tend to dissipate over interstellar distances, and the Earth’s atmosphere can wreak havoc on signal quality.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Dec. 2023
The signal caller left Green Bay before this season to join the New York Jets, with hopes of revitalizing the long-suffering franchise.
—David K. Li, NBC News, 10 Jan. 2024
One of them is Jorge Posada, the signal caller for those potent New York Yankees teams in the late 1990s.
—Jason Mastrodonato, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2024
Noun
As Kings center Domantas Sabonis lit the beam to illuminate the night sky with Sacramento’s victory signal, people were already wondering if this was the end for a Golden State squad that won four championships in a span of eight years.
—Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 17 Apr. 2024
Astronomers in the 1980s detected in Mercury’s exosphere atomic sodium, potassium and calcium, metals with strong emission signals that can be observed all the way from Earth with telescopes.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Apr. 2024
The guidance mechanism, coupled with spoofing-resistant antennae, allows the drone to maintain an accurate flight path far beyond the range of drones controlled using radio signals.
—William Neff, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024
Any hope of limiting the scope of the term evaporated when information theorists detached it from acoustics altogether and applied it to any ambient activity that hinders a signal.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
This dual-band router, 2.4GHz and 5GHz, can be used in a mesh configuration, resulting in a strong Wi-Fi signal throughout the house.
—Shubham Yewale, PCMAG, 15 Apr. 2024
The Utah array can last months to years but can stop working when scar tissue forms around the implant and interferes with its ability to pick up signals from nearby neurons.
—Emily Mullin, WIRED, 15 Apr. 2024
California leadership – political, industry and labor – should be wondering if subpar business performances in 2022 and 2023 are hiccups or signals of widening economic hurdles across the state.
—Jonathan Lansner, Orange County Register, 11 Apr. 2024
Scalia’s argument was a signal to conservative states to keep trying—especially as the Supreme Court has moved further to the right.
—TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
Verb
Ever since the Federal Reserve signaled last fall that it was likely done raising interest rates, Wall Street traders, economists, car buyers, would-be homeowners — pretty much everyone — began obsessing over a single question: When will the Fed start cutting rates?
—Christopher Rugaber, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2024
There was also an and-one layup finish that got the crowd going early — one that prompted a Miller scowl and flex as if to signal to the 16,374 on hand: Today is my day.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2024
The fact that both a full-budget veto and shutdown are even in the conversation signals the disconnect that remains between Youngkin and Democrats, who control both the House of Delegates and the Senate.
—Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
Even the banks, including UBS, have signaled support for major parts of the reform agenda.
—Bastian Benrath, Fortune Europe, 4 Apr. 2024
Both Egypt and the U.S. have signaled their strong opposition to such a scenario, which could further destabilize the region.
—Mairav Zonszein, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
This is a complex signaling system that works to maintain homeostasis.
—Isla G. Roy, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Still, young voters said the grassroots movement was the best way to signal their desire for a cease-fire.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 2 Apr. 2024
Some say Hollywood Boulevard renovation could signal a new era.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Between starting quarterback Jalon Daniels and freshman Isaiah Marshall, the Jayhawks’ QB group has signal callers who can make plays with their legs.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2024
The investigation was first reported by NBC News following its earlier reporting on the apparent availability of signal jammers on Amazon’s marketplace.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024
The measure would add 300 miles of improvements for buses, including bus lanes and signal prioritization for public transit, proponents say.
—Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024
The size of an area and its population density also can affect signal quality.
—Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, The Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2024
Penetrating arrays can cause inflammation and scarring of the brain tissue, which can lead to a loss of signal quality over time.
—Emily Mullin, WIRED, 23 Dec. 2023
High-speed laser comms would be a boon for space exploration, although there are still some general hurdles to overcome: Beams tend to dissipate over interstellar distances, and the Earth’s atmosphere can wreak havoc on signal quality.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Dec. 2023
The signal caller left Green Bay before this season to join the New York Jets, with hopes of revitalizing the long-suffering franchise.
—David K. Li, NBC News, 10 Jan. 2024
One of them is Jorge Posada, the signal caller for those potent New York Yankees teams in the late 1990s.
—Jason Mastrodonato, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'signal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Medieval Latin signale, from Late Latin, neuter of signalis of a sign, from Latin signum
Adjective
modification of French signalé, past participle of signaler to distinguish, from Old Italian segnalare to signal, distinguish, from segnale signal, from Medieval Latin signale
First Known Use
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1800, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Adjective
1591, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of signal was
in the 15th century
Phrases Containing signal
Dictionary Entries Near signal
Cite this Entry
“Signal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/signal. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
signal
1 of 3 noun
sig·nal
ˈsig-nᵊl
1
: an act, event, or word that serves to start some action
2
: a sound or motion of a part of the body made to give warning or command
3
: an object placed to give notice or warning
a traffic signal
4
a
: the message, sound, or effect transmitted in electronic communication (as radio or television)
b
: a radio wave or electric current that transmits a message or effect (as in radio or television)
signal
2 of 3 verb
signaled or signalled; signaling or signalling
-nə-liŋ
1
: to notify by a signal
2
: to communicate by or as if by signals
signaler
noun
signal
3 of 3 adjective1
: unusually great
a signal honor
a signal achievement
2
: used in signaling
a signal light
signally
adverb
-nə-lē
Etymology
Noun
Middle English signal "signal, sign," derived from Latin signalis "of a sign," from earlier signum "mark, sign, image" — related to sign
More from Merriam-Webster on signal
Nglish: Translation of signal for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of signal for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about signal
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