proverbial

adjective pro·ver·bi·al \ prə-ˈvər-bē-əl \

|Updated on: 19 Jun 2018

Examples: proverbial in a Sentence

Definition of proverbial

1 : of, relating to, or resembling a proverb

2 : that has become a proverb or byword : commonly spoken of

the proverbial smoking gun

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proverbially

play \prə-ˈvər-bē-ə-lē\ adverb

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Examples of proverbial in a Sentence

Insanity roamed through her large midwestern tribe, cloistered in proverbial dark closets in gabled houses in areas of the country where no one else lived for miles and miles … —Lynne Tillman, Motion Sickness, 1991
I keep running across people who speak fondly about what they imagine to be the comforts of autocracy, who long for the assurances of the proverbial man on the white horse likely to do something hard and puritanical about the moral relativism that has made a mess of the cities, the schools, and prime-time television. —Lewis H. Lapham, Harper's, November 1990

Recent Examples of proverbial from the Web

Now the proverbial gas tank should be filled back up.

— jonathan tannenwald, Philly.com, "Union ready for a rivalry game in U.S. Open Cup as New York Red Bulls visit," 15 June 2018
Galvan, which launched four years ago in London, offers up highly covetable '90s-esque slip dresses, jumpsuits, and halters at a time when evening wear is often shoved to the back of the proverbial closet.

— olivia martin, Town & Country, "London It-Girl Evening-Wear Brand Galvan Lands in Soho," 12 June 2018
Wilma Rudolph won three Olympic golds and was among the first athletes to use her celebrity to fight for civil rights For Olympic runner Wilma Rudolph, the proverbial starting line was way behind most Americans.

— kate siber, Outside Online, "How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman," 8 June 2018
The Israeli organizers had already paid the AFA to play the game well in advance, putting the Argentine in a proverbial no man’s land in this endless conflict.

— juan pimiento, chicagotribune.com, "Mexico's partying scandal, the Argentina-Israel controversy and the best of the week in soccer," 7 June 2018
Even as the Trump administration looks for ways to mollify angry consumers over rising drug prices, some companies continue to push the proverbial envelope.

— ed silverman, STAT, "What Trump pushback? Bayer takes hefty price hikes on two cancer drugs in just six months," 7 June 2018
And then there are his shocking bright talons, painted crimson, cyan, or marigold yellow depending on the frame, which are the proverbial cherry on top of his vivid, high-impact looks.

— lauren valenti, Vogue, "Let Troye Sivan's "Bloom" Video Be Your Pride Month Makeup Inspiration," 6 June 2018
But Gucci put the nail in the proverbial coffin, hosting their 2019 resort collection in Alyscamps, a Roman burial ground just outside the walls of the ancient town of Arles, located in the south of France between Marseille and Montpellier.

— mara balagtas, Condé Nast Traveler, "Why Gucci Chose a UNESCO World Heritage Site for Its 2019 Cruise Collection Show," 31 May 2018
Served a la mode, fresh strawberry slices were the proverbial cherry on top of a meal at a restaurant that is sure to fuel Louisvillians for many more years to come.

— lindsey mcclave, The Courier-Journal, "For breakfast (or any other meal) you can't go wrong at North End Cafe," 23 May 2018

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