Synonyms for mean

modified

1. Small-minded

   base, ignoble, low, small-minded, petty, contemptible, degrading, sordid, mean-spirited, dishonorable, discreditable, unworthy, selfish, debased, degraded, ignominious, shabby, scurvy, crummy*, lowdown*.

2. Of low estate

   abject, pitiful, shabby; see humble 2.

3. Vicious

   spiteful, vicious, malicious, cruel, unkind, nasty, offensive, vile, shameless, dishonorable, malign, evil, infamous, treacherous, sneaking, crooked, fraudulent, unscrupulous, deceitful, villainous, blackguard, faithless, ill-tempered, bad-tempered, cantankerous, ornery*, disagreeable, unaccommodating, despicable, odious, scurrilous, perfidious, knavish, rotten*, hard as nails*.

4. Stingy

   miserly, niggardly, rapacious; see greedy 1, stingy.

5. Average

   mediocre, middling, halfway; see common 1, conventional 1, popular 3, traditional 2.

mean suggests a contemptible pettiness or unkindness of character or conduct his mean attempts to slander her; base implies a dishonorable putting of one's own interests ahead of one's obligations, as because of greed or cowardice base motives; ignoble suggests a lack of high moral or intellectual qualities to work for an ignoble end; abject implies debasement and a contemptible lack of self-respect an abject coward; sordid connotes the depressing drabness of that which is mean or base the sordid details of their affair; vile suggests disgusting foulness or depravity vile epithets; low suggests rather generally coarseness, vulgarity, depravity, etc., specif. in reference to taking grossly unfair advantage so low as to steal from one's own mother; degrading suggests a lowering or corruption of moral standards or a lowering of self-respect or dignity the degrading aspects of prison life

noun

verb

1. To have as meaning

   indicate, spell, denote, signify, betoken, import, add up, determine, symbolize, imply, involve, allude, speak of, touch on, stand for, drive at, point to, connote, suggest, express, designate, intimate, tell the meaning of, purport.

2. To have in mind

   anticipate, propose, expect; see intend 1.

3. To design for

   destine for, aim at, set apart; see intend 2. See syn. study at intend.