What does "banner" mean?
A flag or standard used by a military commander, monarch or nation.
Banner
/ˈbænə/ adj, name, noun, verb
adj, name, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A flag or standard used by a military commander, monarch or nation.
- Grammar: banner is listed as adj, name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: standard, ad, adorn, advertise.
- Useful contrasts: conceal, hide, insignificant.
- Usage evidence: Like the banner, the design was based around the colour white.
How to use "banner"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "banner" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "banner" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "banner" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "banner" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "banner" is acting as adj, name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "standard" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "banner", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A flag or standard used by a military commander, monarch or nation.
"“To hold Arrakis,” the Duke said, “one is faced with decisions that may cost one his self-respect.” He pointed out the window to the Atreides green and black banner hanging limply from a staff at the edge of the landing field. "That honorable banner could come to mean many evil things.""
- 2 One who bans something.
"How ridiculous the banners of some of the books at present on the list will appear in the future."
- 3 long strip of cloth or paper used for decoration or advertising wordnet
- 4 The military unit under such a flag or standard. broadly
- 5 any distinctive flag wordnet
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 A military or administrative subdivision. broadly
- 7 a newspaper headline that runs across the full page wordnet
- 8 Any large sign, especially when made of soft material or fabric.
"The mayor hung a banner across Main Street to commemorate the town's 100th anniversary."
- 9 A large piece of cloth with a slogan, motto, or emblem carried in a demonstration or other procession or suspended in some conspicuous place.
- 10 A cause or purpose; a campaign or movement. broadly, figuratively
"They usually make their case under the banner of environmentalism."
- 11 The title of a newspaper as printed on its front page; the nameplate; masthead.
- 12 A type of advertisement on a web page or on television, usually taking the form of a graphic or animation above or alongside the content. Internet
- 13 The principal standard of a knight.
- 14 A type of administrative division in Inner Mongolia and Tuva, made during the Qing dynasty; at that time, Outer Mongolia and part of Xinjiang were also divided into banners.
"Hanggin Rear Banner, Bayannur, Inner Mongolia, China"
Verb
- 1 To adorn with a banner. transitive
- 2 To display as a banner headline. transitive
"At 8:11, bannering the headline “Cheney in Charge?” the Drudge Report runs a story speculating that the president may be incapacitated."
Adjective
- 1 Exceptional; very good. not-comparable
"The year just closed has been the banner year for New-Hampshire Home Missions. The amount raised for the cause is $505,38 more than ever was raised before in any one year."
Adjective
- 1 unusually good; outstanding wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname originating as an occupation for a standard-bearer.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Like the banner, the design was based around the colour white."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "banner"?
Common synonyms include: standard, ad, adorn, advertise, advertisement, advertising banner.
How do you use "banner" in a sentence?
Like the banner, the design was based around the colour white.
How do you pronounce "banner"?
Pronounced /ˈbænə/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English baner, from Old French baniere (Modern bannière), of Germanic origin. More at band.
Etymology 2
From ban + -er.