plural mottoes also mottos
1
: a sentence, phrase, or word inscribed on something as appropriate to or indicative of its character or use
"The Crossroads of America" is the motto of the state of Indiana.
2
: a short expression of a guiding principle
"Hope for the best and prepare for the worst" is my motto.
Examples of motto in a Sentence
“Hope for the best and prepare for the worst” is my motto.
The Boy Scout motto is “Be prepared.”
Recent Examples on the Web
The Most Popular Medium Haircut Inspiration For 2024 01 of 27
Long Layered Waves
When in doubt, layer it out—a hair motto for life.
—
Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 22 Apr. 2024
One motto in the baby-led-weaning world is that the parents decide what the child eats—no short-order cooking, hustling to mix pancakes because your toddler rejected his eggs—and the child decides how much.
—Olaf Blecker, The New Yorker, 22 Apr. 2024
Carved into the entryway stonework of the house was the Haldane family motto, a word that would become an ominous portent.
—Rachel Lance, WIRED, 16 Apr. 2024
The Washington Post, meanwhile, suggests by its motto that democracy can be saved for the price of a subscription.
—Ray Nothstine, National Review, 6 Apr. 2024
Their motto, Loyal to the Soil, means choosing eco-friendly packaging, recyclable shipping materials, and planting one tree for every purchase made.
—Alyssa Edwards, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
His motto: dress to impress without sacrificing comfort.
—Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 27 Mar. 2024
His quartets exhibit an extraordinary degree of motivic coherence, their structures often extrapolated from a core motto of five or six notes.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
In interviews and at fundraisers, Patterson has repeated what’s become her unofficial campaign motto, reminiscent of Warren G. Harding’s 1920 slogan.
—Brandy Zadrozny, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2024
Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 22 Apr. 2024
One motto in the baby-led-weaning world is that the parents decide what the child eats—no short-order cooking, hustling to mix pancakes because your toddler rejected his eggs—and the child decides how much.
—Olaf Blecker, The New Yorker, 22 Apr. 2024
Carved into the entryway stonework of the house was the Haldane family motto, a word that would become an ominous portent.
—Rachel Lance, WIRED, 16 Apr. 2024
The Washington Post, meanwhile, suggests by its motto that democracy can be saved for the price of a subscription.
—Ray Nothstine, National Review, 6 Apr. 2024
Their motto, Loyal to the Soil, means choosing eco-friendly packaging, recyclable shipping materials, and planting one tree for every purchase made.
—Alyssa Edwards, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
His motto: dress to impress without sacrificing comfort.
—Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 27 Mar. 2024
His quartets exhibit an extraordinary degree of motivic coherence, their structures often extrapolated from a core motto of five or six notes.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
In interviews and at fundraisers, Patterson has repeated what’s become her unofficial campaign motto, reminiscent of Warren G. Harding’s 1920 slogan.
—Brandy Zadrozny, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'motto.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near motto
Cite this Entry
“Motto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motto. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
motto
noun
mot·to
ˈmät-ō 
plural mottoes also mottos
1
: a sentence, phrase, or word inscribed on something (as a coin or public building) to suggest its use or nature
2
: a short expression of a guiding rule of conduct
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