Mean (Adjective)

Meaning ¹

(used of sums of money) so small in amount as to deserve contempt.

Classification

All adjective clusters.

Examples

• The charity received a mean donation of only five dollars from the wealthy businessman.
• The mean allowance her parents gave her was barely enough to buy lunch.
• He was paid a mean wage for his hard work on the construction site.
• The mean tip he left for the waiter was an insult considering the excellent service.
• The company's mean profit margins made it difficult for them to stay competitive.

Synonyms

• Beggarly

Related Words

• Meanness (noun)

Meaning ²

Marked by poverty befitting a beggar; "a beggarly existence in the slums"; "a mean hut".

Classification

All adjective clusters.

Synonyms

• Beggarly

Meaning ³

Approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value; "the average income in New England is below that of the nation"; "of average height for his age"; "the mean annual rainfall".

Classification

All adjective clusters.

Examples

• The average lifespan of a house cat is about 12 years, which is a relatively mean value for all domesticated breeds.
• Her mean grade for the semester was a C+, indicating a fair but not exceptional performance.
• The researchers used a complex algorithm to calculate the mean atmospheric pressure over the past decade.
• He's a bit above the mean height for a man in his late 30s, standing at about 6'2".
• The new smartphone's mean battery life is about 10 hours, according to reviews and testing.

Synonyms

• Average

Related Words

• Mean (noun)

Meaning ⁴

Excellent; "famous for a mean backhand".

Classification

All adjective clusters.

Usages

• Cant
• Vernacular
• Jargon
• Argot
• Patois
• Lingo

Examples

• He's famous for a mean backhand that always leaves his opponents struggling to return.
• The new restaurant is serving a mean BBQ ribs dish that's got everyone talking.
• She's got a mean right hook that she's not afraid to use in a fight.
• The band's lead guitarist is known for his mean solos that always get the crowd on their feet.
• The chef's mean beef Wellington is a favorite among the restaurant's regular customers.

Meaning ⁵

Having or showing an ignoble lack of honor or morality; "that liberal obedience without which your army would be a base rabble"- Edmund Burke; "taking a mean advantage"; "chok'd with ambition of the meaner sort"- Shakespeare; "something essentially vulgar and meanspirited in politics".

Classification

All adjective clusters.

Synonyms

• Meanspirited
• Base

Related Words

• Meanness (noun)

Meaning ⁶

Characterized by malice; "a hateful thing to do"; "in a mean mood".

Classification

All adjective clusters.

Examples

• The mean comments she made about her colleague's work were uncalled for and hurtful.
• He was in a mean mood and didn't want to talk to anyone.
• The mean prank they played on their friend caused her a lot of distress.
• Her mean behavior towards her siblings was starting to affect their self-esteem.
• The mean words he spoke to his wife during the argument left her feeling devastated.

Synonyms

• Hateful

Related Words

• Meanness (noun)

Meaning ⁷

(used of persons or behavior) characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity; "a mean person"; "he left a miserly tip".

Classification

All adjective clusters.

Synonyms

• Tight
• Miserly
• Mingy

Related Words

• Meanness (noun)

Meaning ⁸

Of no value or worth; "I was caught in the bastardly traffic".

Classification

All adjective clusters.

Synonyms

• Bastardly