signal

1 of 3

noun

sig·​nal ˈsig-nᵊl How to pronounce signal (audio)
1
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

signal

2 of 3

verb

signaled or signalled; signaling or signalling ˈsig-nə-liŋ How to pronounce signal (audio)

transitive verb

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)

intransitive verb

: to make or send a signal
signaler noun
or signaller

signal

3 of 3

adjective

: distinguished from the ordinary : notable
a signal achievement

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
Noun
The test, developed by Guardant Health, detects cancer signals in the bloodstream by identifying the presence of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)—fragments of DNA that cancer cells release. Staff Author, Health, 22 Mar. 2024 That divide — epitomized by the green bubbles that show an Android owner’s messages — sent a signal that other smartphones were lower quality than the iPhone, according to the lawsuit. Tripp Mickle, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024 At issue are the sale of signal jammers, which can block or disrupt everything from cell phones to GPS systems to WiFi signals. Chris Morris, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024 More recently, Mayer gave mixed signals about the status of his potential campaign. Lawrence Andrea, Journal Sentinel, 19 Mar. 2024 The receiver is underneath the skin in their chest and connected to a device that decodes the brain signals via Bluetooth. Caitlin Kelly, WIRED, 11 Mar. 2024 The signal was green, and after waiting for oncoming traffic to clear, Hill began a left turn onto eastbound Thunderbird Road. The Arizona Republic, 9 Mar. 2024 Global regulators and industry have put in place terms and conditions to reduce the likelihood of signals interfering with each other. Jean-François Morizur, Fortune Europe, 8 Mar. 2024 By strictly aligning the signal arrival in time to the listener’s ear, Wilson Audio’s laboratory-grade loudspeakers precisely control voice and timbre, image depth, and more to create a truly three-dimensional, holographic soundstage. Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2024
Verb
Some say Hollywood Boulevard renovation could signal a new era. Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024 And the changes could signal what’s to come for U.S. Apple users — if the Justice Department has its way, at least. Kelvin Chan, Fortune, 22 Mar. 2024 Second, those who correctly answered the death toll question were more likely to signal pro-Palestinian views. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2024 The appeal signals the statewide law enforcement agency will resist in court a mandatory overhaul of its practices. Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024 The exchange came at the end of Blinken’s trip to the region and appeared to signal that Israeli leaders have little interest in moderating their actions in Gaza, despite increasingly sharp criticism from their main military backer and ally. Miriam Berger, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024 And the changes could signal what's to come for U.S. Apple users — if the Justice Department has its way, at least. Kelvin Chan, Quartz, 21 Mar. 2024 The Fed kept its key interest rate steady Wednesday but continued to signal three cuts later this year. Anna Cooban, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024 If pushed forward, the move would signal the most significant breakthrough in the month long impasse between the White House and conservative Republicans over assistance to Ukraine. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2024
Adjective
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 The internet is now teeming with pictorial signs – pixelated images, emoji, and other typographical codes – that signal political dissent. Anna Furman, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Jan. 2024 In 1997, the accepted fire extinguisher color became signal red, a standard that began in Europe and spread to the U.S. Stephanie Kuzydym, The Courier-Journal, 2 Jan. 2024 Advertisement California embraces emergency rules to protect countertop workers from incurable silicosis Dec. 14, 2023 The work includes replacing signal relay technology that is about as old as Union Station itself. Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2023 Mark Kelly Fareed Zakaria opened his CNN show last weekend with a commentary that seemed to me a signal moment in the DEI/woke/identity-politics wars. Peggy Noonan, WSJ, 14 Dec. 2023 The death of Lumumba was a signal moment of both the Cold War and decolonization, two defining events of the post-1945 world. Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2023

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

Dictionary Entries Near signal

Cite this Entry

“Signal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/signal. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

signal

1 of 3 noun
sig·​nal ˈsig-nᵊl How to pronounce signal (audio)
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 How to pronounce signal (audio)
1
: to notify by a signal
2
: to communicate by or as if by signals
signaler noun

signal

3 of 3 adjective
1
: unusually great
a signal honor
a signal achievement
2
: used in signaling
a signal light
signally
-nə-lē
adverb
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

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