Synonyms for mean

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verb

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.
To have in mind
anticipate, propose, expect; see intend 1.
To design for
destine for, aim at, set apart; see intend 2. See syn. study at intend.

noun

average, middle, median, midpoint; see average, center 1. See syn. study at average.

modified

Small-minded
base, ignoble, low, small-minded, petty, contemptible, degrading, sordid, mean-spirited, dishonorable, discreditable, unworthy, selfish, debased, degraded, ignominious, shabby, scurvy, crummy*, lowdown*.
Of low estate
abject, pitiful, shabby; see humble 2.
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*.
Stingy
miserly, niggardly, rapacious; see greedy 1, stingy.
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

See mean in Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus II

noun

Something, as a type, number, quantity, or degree, that represents a midpoint between extremes on a scale of valuation:
average, median, medium, norm, par. See usual
That by which something is accomplished or some end achieved.
Used in plural: agency, agent, instrument, instrumentality, instrumentation, intermediary, mechanism, medium, organ. See means
All things, such as money, property, or goods, having economic value.
Used in plural: asset (used in plural), capital, fortune, resource (used in plural), wealth, wherewithal. See owned

adjective

Not extreme:

central, intermediate, medial, median, mid, middle, middle-of-the-road, midway. See edge

adjective

Characterized by intense ill will or spite:
black, despiteful, evil, hateful, malevolent, malicious, malign, malignant, nasty, poisonous, spiteful, venomous, vicious, wicked. (Slang) bitchy. See attitude
Having or proceeding from low moral standards:
base², ignoble, low, low-down, sordid, squalid, vile. See right
Ungenerously or pettily reluctant to spend money:
cheap, close, close-fisted, costive, hard-fisted, miserly, niggard, niggardly, parsimonious, penny-pinching, penurious, petty, pinching, stingy, tight, tightfisted. See give
Of low or lower quality:
common, inferior, low-grade, low-quality, mediocre, second-class, second-rate, shabby, substandard. See better
Of little distinction:
humble, lowly, simple. See plain
Lacking high station or birth:
baseborn, common, dÃ©classÃ©, declassed, humble, ignoble, lowly, plebeian, unwashed, vulgar. (Archaic) base². See over
Affected or tending to be affected with minor health problems:
ailing, indisposed, low, off-color, rocky, sickly. Idiom: under the weather. See health
So objectionable as to elicit despisal or deserve condemnation:
abhorrent, abominable, antipathetic, contemptible, despicable, despisable, detestable, disgusting, filthy, foul, infamous, loathsome, lousy, low, nasty, nefarious, obnoxious, odious, repugnant, rotten, shabby, vile, wretched. See good
(Informal)
Having or showing a bad temper:
bad-tempered, cantankerous, crabbed, cranky, cross, disagreeable, fretful, grouchy, grumpy, ill-tempered, irascible, irritable, nasty, peevish, petulant, querulous, snappish, snappy, surly, testy, ugly, waspish. (Informal) crabby. Idiom: out of sorts. See attitude
(Slang)
Hard to treat, manage, or cope with:
troublesome, wicked. (Informal) pesky. See easy

verb

To have or convey a particular idea:
connote, denote, import, intend, signify, spell¹. Idiom: add up to. See meaning
To have in mind as a goal or purpose:
aim, contemplate, design, intend, plan, project, propose, purpose, target. (Regional) mind. See planned, purpose

See mean in American Heritage Dictionary 4 Synonyms

mean ²low ¹base ²abject ignoble sordid

These adjectives mean lacking in dignity or falling short of the standards befitting humans. Mean suggests pettiness, spite, or niggardliness: “Never ascribe to an opponent motives meaner than your own” (J.M. Barrie).
Something low violates standards of morality, ethics, or propriety: low cunning; a low trick.
Base suggests a contemptible, mean-spirited, or selfish lack of human decency: “that liberal obedience, without which your army would be a base rabble” (Edmund Burke).
Abject means brought low in condition: abject submission; abject poverty.
Ignoble means lacking noble qualities, such as elevated moral character: “For my part I think it a less evil that some criminals should escape than that the government should play an ignoble part” (Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.)
Sordid suggests foul, repulsive degradation: “It is through art . . . that we can shield ourselves from the sordid perils of actual existence” (Oscar Wilde).

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