maxim

noun

max·im | \ ˈmak-səm

Definition of maxim

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : a general truth, fundamental principle, or rule of conduct Mother's favorite maxim was "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."

2 : a proverbial saying advised her daughter with the maxim "marry in haste, repent at leisure"

Maxim

biographical name (1)

Max·im | \ ˈmak-səm

Definition of Maxim (Entry 2 of 3)

Sir Hiram Stevens 1840–1916 British (American-born) inventor

Maxim

biographical name (2)

Definition of Maxim (Entry 3 of 3)

Hudson 1853–1927 brother of Hiram Maxim American inventor

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about maxim

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Examples of maxim in a Sentence

Noun

it's a common maxim that “a watched pot never boils,” but that's not literally true

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

And yet, to ride that thin line of risk is where all the learning is. Routines and discovery go hand in hand: Traditional parenting maxims emphasize the importance of routines. — National Geographic, "EXPLORE THE WORLD WITH NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC," 26 Mar. 2019 Behold the ever-growing garden of inspirational maxims ordering us all to be ourselves! — Heather Wilhelm, National Review, "Be Yourself, the Screen Commanded," 25 July 2019 The 2016 presidential election proved the maxim that every vote counts. — NBC News, "9 states where the rules for voting have been changed or challenged ahead of 2020," 13 July 2019 Jacques Rivette’s famous maxim that every film is a documentary of its own making comes to mind. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Review: ‘Our Time’ opens up a marriage and finds more beauty than insight," 11 July 2019 The tidying process Kondo’s methods for tidying are comprised of a few simple steps and maxims. — Alejandra Borunda, National Geographic, "Marie Kondo helps declutter homes. What does that mean for plastic waste?," 22 Mar. 2019 But the now eight-year-old maxim has its serious downsides. — Aarian Marshall, WIRED, "What Boeing’s 737 MAX Has to Do With Cars: Software," 30 June 2019 If consistency counts, an examination of Castro’s record at HUD shows a steadfast focus on a single concept - opportunity - which has its roots in Castro’s own modest upbringing and lives on as a maxim of his presidential quest. — Bill Lambrecht, ExpressNews.com, "Julián Castro draws on HUD experience as 2020 candidates pitch affordable housing plans," 13 June 2019 In the mid-Nineties, fast ten, slow twenty seemed like a maxim to help me eke out some autonomy. — Mitchell S. Jackson, Harper's magazine, "Opportunity Cost," 10 Feb. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'maxim.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.