as in proverb
an often stated observation regarding something from common experience
that old adage, "the early bird gets the worm"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of adage
Each game is its own separate specimen, and the old adage that momentum in baseball is tied to that night’s starting pitcher is quite true.
—
Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
That is the adage used to scold someone whose gaze is fixed on a particular subject a little too long.
—Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
The second round is a bigger swing, a bolder gambit all the way around, really, and not just because it’s based on a high-stakes example of the adage about asking for forgiveness being better than waiting for permission.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025
That old adage about the NBA being a copycat league has aged into cliché at this point.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for adage
Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
That is the adage used to scold someone whose gaze is fixed on a particular subject a little too long.
—Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
The second round is a bigger swing, a bolder gambit all the way around, really, and not just because it’s based on a high-stakes example of the adage about asking for forgiveness being better than waiting for permission.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025
That old adage about the NBA being a copycat league has aged into cliché at this point.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for adage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adage
Noun
-
The lyrics, some inspired by proverbs and biblical passages, convey the fervor of his first love with God, without losing his personal touch.—
Jessica Roiz,
Billboard,
17 Oct. 2025
-
His tale has become a proverb for any outdoor fanatic who, despite all of the proper planning and preparation, is undone by forces more powerful than him or herself.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The new space resembles the old, complete with walls covered in graffiti with names, sayings, and pictures of the old Post Bar.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Amish are part of the wider Anabaptist movement, which puts heavy emphasis on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, containing some of his most radical and counter-cultural sayings — to love enemies, live simply, bless persecutors, turn the other cheek and to endure sufferings joyfully.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But Obergefell, like many other who are concerned about the Supreme Court's conservative majority, takes little comfort in their words.—
Jason Lemon,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Swayer is a spoken word poet and this is clear in her verse that is melodic on the page.—
Amber McBride,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Everything bops breezily along, stopping occasionally to have Dek growl maxims about strength through domination, and observe a decapitation or two.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Visitors who travel down a dirt road to The Hollow — named for the hollow-core concrete that made Mellor wealthy — can enter the compound through a dark, cavernous passage lined with neon signs illuminating maxims from the likes of Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, and Flynn.—
Arthur Allen,
Miami Herald,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Adage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adage. Accessed 27 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share