saying

noun

say·​ing ˈsā-iŋ 

: something said

especially : adage

Synonyms

• proverb
• word
• saw
• motto

Examples of saying in a Sentence

there's an old saying that you should let sleeping dogs lie

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s more than one way to skin a cat, the saying goes, and there’s also more than one way to make an authentic Trader Vic’s Mai Tai. —Tony Sachs, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025

Star of the show, though, is Satana herself, living up to Russ Meyer’s famous saying: the sweetest kittens do have the sharpest claws. —Damon Wise, Deadline, 29 July 2025

As the saying goes, from little acorns, mighty oaks grow—and with the opening of Collegio alla Querce, the team behind Auberge have unveiled the mightiest new hotel in Italy. —Liam Hess, Vogue, 28 July 2025

There are faster ways to get around—a direct train on the same route would have taken just 75 minutes, and the high-speed rail covers it in 25 minutes—but as the saying goes, this train is about the journey. —Naomi Tomky, Travel + Leisure, 26 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing saying

• go without saying
• if you don't mind my/me saying so
• I hear what you're saying
• quote as saying
• that's not saying much
• there's no saying

Rhymes for saying

• baying
• braying
• faying
• flaying
• fraying
• graying
• greying
• haying
• laying
• neighing
• paying
• playing

Kids Definition

saying

noun

say·​ing

ˈsā-iŋ

: something frequently said : proverb