Definition of apothegmnext
as in proverb
an often stated observation regarding something from common experience her mother endlessly repeated the apothegm "cleanliness is next to godliness"

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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 apothegm As with every Together Live speaker, each apothegm is met with exuberant applause. Zoë Ghertner, Vogue, 10 Jan. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apothegm
Noun
  • The reason can be explained by a Japanese proverb about the importance of leaving no mess.
    Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2026
  • Popeye the Sailor Man has been guzzling spinach since 1931 to build muscle, while the apple-a-day advice derives from a 19th-century Welsh proverb.
    Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 5 May 2026
Noun
  • As the saying goes, hypocrisy is the tribute that vice pays to virtue.
    Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026
  • One person’s flip-flop is another person’s strappy sandal… or so the saying goes.
    Talia Abbas, Vogue, 10 July 2026
Noun
  • Skubal seems to comprehend how his performance and his words both hold weight.
    Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Maybe redemption is too strong a word, but with all of this attention on Luke, Joe’s normal-bordering-on-wholesome fling with Kayley is a breath of fresh air.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 21 July 2026
Noun
  • By greatly expanding the dimensions of his images, with their muted palettes, tight cropping, found symmetries, and laconic wit, had the maestro of the photographic epigram betrayed his subtractive aesthetic?
    James Quandt, Artforum, 2 June 2026
  • Johnson is the author of the epigrams, but Boswell is very much the co-author.
    David Frum, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026
Noun
  • Astonishing to watch Armand invent noir femme fatale aphorisms in real time.
    Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 20 July 2026
  • In the face of climate change, such woo woo aphorisms seem ridiculous, naive, and cruel.
    Josh Fox, IndieWire, 17 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Apothegm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apothegm. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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