proverbial
adjective
pro·ver·bi·al
prə-ˈvər-bē-əl 
1
: of, relating to, or resembling a proverb
2
: that has become a proverb or byword : commonly spoken of
the proverbial smoking gun
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
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 on the Web
Considering the huge turnover thus far, there are now growing concerns that the head coach himself could be on the proverbial chopping block next.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
Much like the proverbial rolling stone, a coastal bluff with sandy soil is a tricky spot to gather moss.
—Mayer Rus, Architectural Digest, 13 Nov. 2025
That said, the best ski boot brand is the one that makes a ski boot that fits your foot like the proverbial glove.
—Jenny Wiegand, Outside, 13 Nov. 2025
The difference to Gordon was how the players responded with the backs against the proverbial wall.
—Cody Thorn, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proverbial
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James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
Much like the proverbial rolling stone, a coastal bluff with sandy soil is a tricky spot to gather moss.
—Mayer Rus, Architectural Digest, 13 Nov. 2025
That said, the best ski boot brand is the one that makes a ski boot that fits your foot like the proverbial glove.
—Jenny Wiegand, Outside, 13 Nov. 2025
The difference to Gordon was how the players responded with the backs against the proverbial wall.
—Cody Thorn, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proverbial
Cite this Entry
“Proverbial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proverbial. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
proverbial
adjective
pro·ver·bi·al
prə-ˈvər-bē-əl
1
: of, relating to, or resembling a proverb
proverbial wisdom
2
: commonly spoken of
the proverbial beginner's luck
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