as in cliche
an idea or expression that has been used by many people
ended his letter with the overused truism, "You can't win them all!"
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Recent Examples of truism
There is a truism that a good place to live is a good place to visit—and that relationship often creates a virtuous cycle of development.
—
Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
This session has turned on its head the long-running truism that Texas is a weak-governor state.
—John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
River Of Constant Change This (above) truism was offered by Jonny Williams, chief digital adviser, UK public sector at Red Hat.
—Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Now, as the president considers more forceful action against Russia, his party is sifting through signals of his future direction — even as Trump follows the truism that presidents’ foreign policy rarely conforms to a single identity.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for truism
Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
This session has turned on its head the long-running truism that Texas is a weak-governor state.
—John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
River Of Constant Change This (above) truism was offered by Jonny Williams, chief digital adviser, UK public sector at Red Hat.
—Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Now, as the president considers more forceful action against Russia, his party is sifting through signals of his future direction — even as Trump follows the truism that presidents’ foreign policy rarely conforms to a single identity.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for truism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for truism
Noun
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Mentality is the critical factor here because, as the cliche goes, the defining feature of any champion team is securing victory in the face of adversity or underperformance.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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The same was true of the Dutch squad, and such situations have become something of a World Cup cliche, but in 1974 this was considered novel, and a sign that the sport had become overrun by financial interests, even at international level.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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My first true attempts at poetry were self-guided, painfully rhymed, drenched in abstractions and exhausted platitudes.—
Via Scribner,
Literary Hub,
6 Oct. 2025
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His answers, typically, differ by just a few words and a few platitudes.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Ion gauges are relatively cheap (under US $1,000) and commonplace.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
24 Sep. 2025
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The fact of death: what a commonplace, what a banal place to land.—
Garth Greenwell,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
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His tale has become a proverb for any outdoor fanatic who, despite all of the proper planning and preparation, is undone by forces more powerful than him or herself.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
7 Oct. 2025
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On the other hand, perhaps this is one of those rare and unforeseen opportunities that give rise to the proverb of no guts, no glory.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Truism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/truism. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.
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