mean: meaning and words from its letters
4 letters · 6 letter points · starts with M · ends with N
Meaning of mean
verb
- transitive
To intend. To intend, to plan (to do); to have as one's intention.
Example: I didn't mean to knock your tooth out.
- intransitive
To intend. To have as intentions of a given kind.
Example: Don't be angry; she meant well.
- passive, regional, transitive
To intend. To intend (something) for a given purpose or fate; to predestine.
Example: Actually this desk was meant for the subeditor.
- transitive
To intend. To intend an ensuing comment or statement as an explanation.
Example: Your reasoning seems needlessly abstruse, complex, and verbose for me. I mean, could you dumb it down for my sake?
Listed forms: means, meaning, meant.
Source: Wiktionary — mean.
adj
Low in quality or degree; inferior; poor; shabby.
Example: a mean appearance
Without dignity of mind; destitute of honour; low-minded; spiritless; base.
Example: You hurt her feelings - that was a mean thing to do.
Of little value or worth; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable.
- UK
Ungenerous; stingy; tight-fisted.
Example: He's so mean. I've never seen him spend so much as five pounds on presents for his children.
Listed forms: meaner, meanest.
Source: Wiktionary — mean.
adj
- not-comparable
Having the mean as its value; average.
Example: The mean family has 2.4 children.
- not-comparable, obsolete
Middling; intermediate; moderately good, tolerable.
Listed forms: myn.
Source: Wiktionary — mean.
Adapted from Wiktionary contributors via Kaikki.org. Selected senses and forms; quotations omitted. Definition text is CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms by meaning
Words are grouped by sense, so they are not necessarily interchangeable in every context. Search synonyms for mean.
adjective
approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value
adjective
characterized by malice
adjective
having or showing an ignoble lack of honor or morality
- base
- meanspirited
adjective
marked by poverty befitting a beggar
Open English WordNet Team, 2025, derived from Princeton University WordNet; selected synonym groups under CC BY 4.0. Source · OEWN notice · Princeton notice.
Is mean in our word lists?
| Word list | Status |
|---|---|
| American English | Found |
| British English | Found |
| Extended English | Found |
These are spelling-list matches, not official game validity checks. Check the rules and dictionary used by your game.
Letter-value score of mean
M(3) + E(1) + A(1) + N(1) = 6 points.
This is a sum of letter values without board bonuses or word multipliers. A blank tile is worth zero: subtract the value of each letter supplied by a blank. The score does not establish game validity. Full letter-value table.
Anagrams of mean
3 other standard-list words use exactly these letters, including repeated letters.
Shorter words from mean
11 shorter standard-list words can be made using no letter more often than it occurs in mean. Showing up to 24, longest first.