totem

noun

ˈtō-təm How to pronounce totem (audio)
Definition of totemnext
as in symbol
a device, design, or figure used as an identifying mark the bald eagle, that universally recognized totem of our country

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of totem There, he’s attacked by The Denied, a militia group of non-benders who feel like second-class citizens in this world seeking an old totem of a prior Avatar known as Sonam. — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 July 2026 The shrinekeeper greets bar patrons, gives them nicknames, will learn to recognize regulars, plays games of chess alone and with guests, and accepts tips that manifest into permanent flora or small totems within the microcosm of the work. — Gabriella Angeleti, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 July 2026 To drive home the importance of the Celine jean, Rider stacked them, totem-like and almost to the ceiling, in the company’s Paris headquarters. — Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 17 June 2026 The company’s new label, King Snedley, defied every marketing totem and tradition ever created by the beer industry. — Bill Swank, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for totem
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totem
  1. symbol
  2. emblem
  3. logo
  4. hallmark
Noun
  • As her anger and resistance grow, her body begins to transform into porcelain, becoming a powerful symbol of her silent rebellion and her fight to reclaim her own identity.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
  • But Pete took the idea one step further, taking the organization’s iconic symbol — the star — and suffusing it with a deeper meaning.
    — Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of symbol
Noun
  • Wreckage of the helicopter with the state police emblem was seen laying on its side near the airport’s runway in video from CNN affiliate WPMT.
    — Aaron Cooper, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The launch includes two capsule collections that use two of the house’s famed monograms, Monogram Dune and Monogram Infrarouge, as their muse, as well as taking inspiration from the emblem’s 130th anniversary.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of emblem
Noun
  • Black Diamond has also made a pink version of its lightest functional carabiner featuring the first logo other than its own in company history.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The interesting thing about this is the franchise is marketing this gear emblazoned with Washington Redskins script and logos as Commanders gear.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of logo
Noun
  • The rhinestone trend is also a hallmark of Y2K nostalgia, which celebrates 2000s fashion and culture.
    — Sarah Glodek, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Those compounds are hallmarks of cacao, but they’re also found in yaupon holly, which grows all over the eastern US.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of hallmark

Browse Nearby Words

toted (up)
totem
totems
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Cite this Entry

“Totem.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totem. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on totem

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about totem

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