a stitch in time (saves nine)
idiom
—used to say that it is better to fix a problem when it is small than to wait and let it become a bigger problem
Examples of a stitch in time (saves nine) in a Sentence
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The duo’s creator and forever naughty guiding light, Mike Judge, flows the characters into the present day without a hitch in style or a stitch in time.
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Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 22 June 2022
So telling a story about how a stitch in time saves nine, for instance, will likely be more effective in motivating people to adopt a new preventive maintenance system than simply relaying facts.
—Andy Bird, Forbes, 27 Apr. 2022
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Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 22 June 2022
So telling a story about how a stitch in time saves nine, for instance, will likely be more effective in motivating people to adopt a new preventive maintenance system than simply relaying facts.
—Andy Bird, Forbes, 27 Apr. 2022
Cite this Entry
“A stitch in time (saves nine).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20stitch%20in%20time%20%28saves%20nine%29. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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