Thesaurus results for TOTEMS

totems

noun

plural of totem

as in symbols

a device, design, or figure used as an identifying mark the bald eagle, that universally recognized totem of our country

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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 totems Attendants were tasked with caring for the trees, interacting with visitors, and giving performances, as well as contributing knickknacks that would serve as totems from their past. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 20 Aug. 2026 As a result, his compositions have become strange totems of the internet, like global ringtones. — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 30 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 Why Ketchikan matters Long before Ketchikan became a bustling fishing town and cruise port, the sheltered waterways of Southeast Alaska were home to Indigenous communities whose histories were carved into towering cedar totems. — Josh Rivera, USA Today, 13 May 2026 Haring’s totems clearly express this idea. — Glenn Adamson, Artforum, 2 May 2026 In his work exist iconic signs of beloved local establishments — like the Playpen — the blinding glint reflecting off downtown’s skyline, telephone poles regarded as totems. — Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026 Totems and totems with flags, less than 7 feet tall, and less than 1 inch in diameter. — Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 24 Feb. 2026 The vishaps’ consistent ties to water sources, their polished surfaces and their precise placement in harsh alpine zones point to a widespread belief system in which water itself was sacred and required such totems of appreciation. — New Atlas, 11 Dec. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for totems

Noun

McDonald’s is one of many potent symbols of Americana that’s proliferating in China.

— John Tamny, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Then, in a famous 1937 paper, the mathematician Alan Turing devised a model based on hypothetical machines that could read and write symbols printed on an infinite tape according to a set of simple rules.

— Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of symbols

Noun

The moment taps a broader wartime tradition in Ukraine, where heroic dogs, cats and rescuers become national emblems — and American gestures of solidarity carry growing political weight.

— Laurie Kellman, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Passengers board meticulously restored Gran Confort carriages, which date back to the 1970s and are emblems of Modern Italian design, with velvet-upholstered seats and panoramic windows.

— Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of emblems

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totems

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“Totems.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totems. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of totems

noun

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