Mom's favorite byword is “You can get more flies with honey than with vinegar”.
nationally, Beverly Hills' Rodeo Drive has become a byword for luxury retailing
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The melting of the vast polar ice sheets has become a byword for climate change; these giant frozen landscapes hold enough water to cause catastrophic sea level rise and are experiencing alarming changes as temperatures increase.—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025 In 2020, the Courant closed its physical office; the following year, it was acquired by Alden Global Capital, a financial firm whose name is a byword, in journalism circles, for aggressive cost-cutting.—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2025 The event became a byword in the militia movement, influencing Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh.—Daily Briefing, AZCentral.com, 23 Aug. 2025 Soho House: From cool London origins to global influence
Founded on London’s Greek Street in 1995, Soho House rapidly became a byword for luxury, exclusivity, and a vibrant creative scene.—Dave Smith, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for byword
Word History
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of byword was
before the 12th century
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