proverbial

adjective

pro·​ver·​bi·​al prə-ˈvər-bē-əl How to pronounce proverbial (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or resembling a proverb
2
: that has become a proverb or byword : commonly spoken of
the proverbial smoking gun
proverbially adverb

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 on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That said, can Milwaukee get the proverbial monkey off its back? Scott Phillips, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025 With rumors and reports that McDaniel is on the proverbial hot seat, and Dolphins owner Stephen Ross growing frustrated with the situation, a fifth loss could lead to some sweeping changes. James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Oct. 2025 The Dolphins offense was stuck at 17 for a significant portion of the game until a 46-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle broke the proverbial scoring cap late in the fourth quarter. Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2025 And a fourth loss in five games could be enough to cause the proverbial sword to fall from its thread and put an early end to the Ravens' chances of emerging as a playoff contender. Jacob Camenker, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for proverbial

Word History

Etymology

see proverb entry 1

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of proverbial was in 1548

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Proverbial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proverbial. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

proverbial

adjective
pro·​ver·​bi·​al prə-ˈvər-bē-əl How to pronounce proverbial (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or resembling a proverb
proverbial wisdom
2
: commonly spoken of
the proverbial beginner's luck
proverbially adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on proverbial

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