plural mottoes also mottos
1
: a sentence, phrase, or word inscribed on something as appropriate to or indicative of its character or use
"The Crossroads of America" is the motto of the state of Indiana.
2
: a short expression of a guiding principle
"Hope for the best and prepare for the worst" is my motto.
Examples of motto in a Sentence
“Hope for the best and prepare for the worst” is my motto.
The Boy Scout motto is “Be prepared.”
Recent Examples on the Web
The Washington Post, meanwhile, suggests by its motto that democracy can be saved for the price of a subscription.
—
Ray Nothstine, National Review, 6 Apr. 2024
Their motto, Loyal to the Soil, means choosing eco-friendly packaging, recyclable shipping materials, and planting one tree for every purchase made.
—Alyssa Edwards, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
His motto: dress to impress without sacrificing comfort.
—Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 27 Mar. 2024
His quartets exhibit an extraordinary degree of motivic coherence, their structures often extrapolated from a core motto of five or six notes.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
In interviews and at fundraisers, Patterson has repeated what’s become her unofficial campaign motto, reminiscent of Warren G. Harding’s 1920 slogan.
—Brandy Zadrozny, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2024
The motto was created in 1958 by Jimmy Mastronardo, a 10-year-old from Cincinnati's Hartwell neighborhood.
—Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 1 Mar. 2024
My seven-year-old self quickly learned that lesson the hard way, and ever since then, my motto has always been happy feet, happy hiker.
—Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2024
Opposed to working guys into the ground, his motto was work smarter, not harder.
—Brendan Le, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024
Ray Nothstine, National Review, 6 Apr. 2024
Their motto, Loyal to the Soil, means choosing eco-friendly packaging, recyclable shipping materials, and planting one tree for every purchase made.
—Alyssa Edwards, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
His motto: dress to impress without sacrificing comfort.
—Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 27 Mar. 2024
His quartets exhibit an extraordinary degree of motivic coherence, their structures often extrapolated from a core motto of five or six notes.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
In interviews and at fundraisers, Patterson has repeated what’s become her unofficial campaign motto, reminiscent of Warren G. Harding’s 1920 slogan.
—Brandy Zadrozny, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2024
The motto was created in 1958 by Jimmy Mastronardo, a 10-year-old from Cincinnati's Hartwell neighborhood.
—Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 1 Mar. 2024
My seven-year-old self quickly learned that lesson the hard way, and ever since then, my motto has always been happy feet, happy hiker.
—Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2024
Opposed to working guys into the ground, his motto was work smarter, not harder.
—Brendan Le, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'motto.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near motto
Cite this Entry
“Motto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motto. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
motto
noun
mot·to
ˈmät-ō 
plural mottoes also mottos
1
: a sentence, phrase, or word inscribed on something (as a coin or public building) to suggest its use or nature
2
: a short expression of a guiding rule of conduct
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