mantra

noun

man·​tra ˈmän-trə 

also ˈman-

or ˈmən-

1

: a mystical formula of invocation (see invocation sense 2) or incantation (as in Hinduism)

2

: a word or phrase that is repeated often or expresses the beliefs of a person or group : watchword sense 2

"Diversity" has become our multicultural mantra …

—Manning Marable

mantric

ˈmän-trik 

also ˈman-

or ˈmən-

adjective

Examples of mantra in a Sentence

a businessman whose mantra is “bigger is better”

Recent Examples on the Web

The mantra heading into second-quarter results is that another display of stupendous growth of 24% over a year earlier makes equities appear quite reasonably priced. — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 14 July 2026

Apparently, the mantra that women should be believed didn’t hold true unless the woman was in the same political party. — Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 9 July 2026

Payroll Is No Longer Back-Office Work There’s an archaic mantra that payroll is a back-office function best left for software or service providers to handle. — Gary Galstyan, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

The phrase has grown into a mantra for the NFL, a reminder of how quickly a career can end. — Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 6 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Sanskrit, sacred counsel, formula, from manyate he thinks; akin to Latin mens mind — more at mind

First Known Use

1795, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mantra

• tantra