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
Take the lead on putting this water under the proverbial cruise ship.
—R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 18 Mar. 2026
If Nurse is to be criticized for the Sixers’ poor performance this season in third quarters, the fact that this team hasn’t let go of the proverbial rope at any point this season should reflect well on him.
—Tony Jones, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Don't count on an open scrimmage everywhere Several notable programs are declining to go back to the way things were now that the proverbial Band-Aid has been ripped off.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026
Comedies, points out Ropp, whether high school-set or not, are not the current popular kids in the proverbial Hollywood lunchroom.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for proverbial
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R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 18 Mar. 2026
If Nurse is to be criticized for the Sixers’ poor performance this season in third quarters, the fact that this team hasn’t let go of the proverbial rope at any point this season should reflect well on him.
—Tony Jones, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Don't count on an open scrimmage everywhere Several notable programs are declining to go back to the way things were now that the proverbial Band-Aid has been ripped off.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026
Comedies, points out Ropp, whether high school-set or not, are not the current popular kids in the proverbial Hollywood lunchroom.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for proverbial
Cite this Entry
“Proverbial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proverbial. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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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