as in proverb
an often stated observation regarding something from common experience
that old adage, "the early bird gets the worm"
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Recent Examples of adage
This adage is affirming as the moon and Chiron harmonize.
—
Usa Today, USA Today, 1 Mar. 2026
To the victor go the spoils, the adage tells us.
—Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
Former football coach Bo Schembechler coined the adage in the late 1960s, but it has been used as near gospel in Ann Arbor since then.
—Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
As the old adage goes, practice makes perfect.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for adage
Usa Today, USA Today, 1 Mar. 2026
To the victor go the spoils, the adage tells us.
—Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
Former football coach Bo Schembechler coined the adage in the late 1960s, but it has been used as near gospel in Ann Arbor since then.
—Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
As the old adage goes, practice makes perfect.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for adage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adage
Noun
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What does the phrase squeaky bum time, the racehorse Devon Loch, and the Portuguese proverb ‘morrer na prais’ all have in common?—
Ian Irving,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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The rooms The old Japanese proverb ‘*kachou fuugetsu’—*which translates as ‘flower, bird, wind, moon’ evoking a sense of the transient beauty of nature—is a key concept at the hotel.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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While Haiti is the most mountainous country in the Caribbean, the saying is often used to reflect the immense and constant obstacles Haiti has had to overcome.—
Kathleen Rellihan,
Outside,
15 Mar. 2026
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Slopes don’t have to be a problem The saying goes that Kansas is flat.—
Markis Hill,
Kansas City Star,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Oscar Grabbing his third trophy of the night, Paul Thomas Anderson joined his jubilant cast (including Teyana Taylor, literally jumping for joy) onstage and got the last words of the night.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
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Use more than five bold-type words.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
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There are three problems with this maxim.—
Tad Friend,
New Yorker,
23 Feb. 2026
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Still, that leaves a substantial audience who will find much to enjoy in this grisly yet sensitive take on the old maxim that every baby is different.—
Catherine Bray,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adage. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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