Thesaurus results for APOTHEGM

apothegm

noun

ˈa-pə-ˌthem

Definition of apothegm

as in proverb

an often stated observation regarding something from common experience her mother endlessly repeated the apothegm "cleanliness is next to godliness"

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 apothegm As with every Together Live speaker, each apothegm is met with exuberant applause. — Zoë Ghertner, Vogue, 10 Jan. 2019

Recent Examples of Synonyms for apothegm

Noun

That proverb, attributed to everyone from Yogi Berra to a Danish Nobel laureate, springs to mind whenever someone asks me about an upcoming NFL season.

— Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
An ancient proverb notes that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of proverb

Noun

But there is a saying in the military that leadership sets the tone, and when the most senior leaders are flippant at best, and cruel at worst, many will understand that to be the permissible standard.

— Andrea N. Goldstein, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
There’s an old saying in football that the best gig is that of the assistant coach.

— JOE DAVIDSON, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of saying

Noun

Presidents across party lines celebrated Dolly Parton on Tuesday following her death, speaking to the country icon’s ability to transcend politics through her work that often spoke louder than words.

— Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026
The advance word on his performance here has been very strong.

— Joe Reid, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of word

Noun

By greatly expanding the dimensions of his images, with their muted palettes, tight cropping, found symmetries, and laconic wit, had the maestro of the photographic epigram betrayed his subtractive aesthetic?

— James Quandt, Artforum, 2 June 2026
Johnson is the author of the epigrams, but Boswell is very much the co-author.

— David Frum, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026

Definition of epigram

Noun

At one point, Lowe and Rogan joked about the hoary aphorism that says anyone who isn’t a liberal at 25 has no heart, but anyone who isn’t a conservative by 35 has no head.

— Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 26 July 2026
What remains are cinematic aphorisms that may well be true, but cannot alone tell a compelling story.

— Elena Lazic, Variety, 25 July 2026

Definition of aphorism

Browse Nearby Words

apothecary

apothegm

apothegmatic

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“Apothegm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apothegm. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of apothegm

noun

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