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 Making the film made Wishnow rethink what the function of a critic is, especially in how Christgau describes what the two core totems of criticism are. — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2026 The excessive proliferation of totems and masks as decor is more closely associated with Beachcomber offshoots and descendants in the ’50s and ’60s. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 Considering that her designs—from the quirky and unmistakable totem collars to magic floating orbs and funky-fine rings—look like nothing else and immediately spark joy, Ashley Moubayed is keeping disco very much alive. — Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 5 Aug. 2026 As a result, his compositions have become strange totems of the internet, like global ringtones. — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for totem
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totem
  1. symbol
  2. emblem
  3. logo
  4. hallmark
Noun
  • Dialects are as thick as old paint; symbols go up like flares.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The standout style was the La Pigalle pump, representing a symbol of confidence and emancipation.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of symbol
Noun
  • Part nostalgia object and part mini marketing campaign, Thompson’s retro DVD Club is an unusually apt emblem for the weird baggage that comes with making a debut feature today.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The project’s thoroughness would be almost comical were its subject not so stubbornly controversial, an emblem of all the contradictions embedded in who, exactly, Americans take themselves to be.
    — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of emblem
Noun
  • Firms included on the list may choose to license a CNBC's Financial Advisor 100 logo after publication.
    — Kelli Grant, CFP®,Riley de León, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Just a mile away from the lodge are two Andean lagoons with wowing views of Mount Fitz Roy, the castle-like 11,171-foot peak on the logo of the Patagonia clothing brand.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of logo
Noun
  • One of the hallmarks of the modern corporation is the separation of ownership from control.
    — Ben Tarnoff, The New York Review of Books, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Williams and her team scoured sites like 1stDibs to find the kinds of tasteful pieces that would live with the wealthy Crawford family but that also conveyed the subtly spooky effect that’s a hallmark of the film.
    — Juliet Izon, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 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 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on totem

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about totem

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