1
as in proverb
an often stated observation regarding something from common experience
Mom's favorite byword is "You can get more flies with honey than with vinegar"
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2
as in classic
the most perfect type or example
nationally, Beverly Hills' Rodeo Drive has become a byword for luxury retailing
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Recent Examples of byword
Auschwitz has become a byword for the mass murder and bestiality of the Nazi regime.
—
Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2025
The melting of the vast polar ice sheets has become a byword for climate change; these giant frozen landscapes hold enough water to cause catastrophic sea level rise and are experiencing alarming changes as temperatures increase.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
The event became a byword in the militia movement, influencing Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh.
—Daily Briefing, AZCentral.com, 23 Aug. 2025
Soho House: From cool London origins to global influence
Founded on London’s Greek Street in 1995, Soho House rapidly became a byword for luxury, exclusivity, and a vibrant creative scene.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for byword
Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2025
The melting of the vast polar ice sheets has become a byword for climate change; these giant frozen landscapes hold enough water to cause catastrophic sea level rise and are experiencing alarming changes as temperatures increase.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
The event became a byword in the militia movement, influencing Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh.
—Daily Briefing, AZCentral.com, 23 Aug. 2025
Soho House: From cool London origins to global influence
Founded on London’s Greek Street in 1995, Soho House rapidly became a byword for luxury, exclusivity, and a vibrant creative scene.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for byword
Recent Examples of Synonyms for byword
Noun
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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
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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
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Best Simple Menorah Originally designed for Areaware, Josh Owen’s solid cast-iron menorah became an instant classic for those in search of a modern menorah.—
Rachel Fletcher,
Architectural Digest,
11 Nov. 2025
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Sabrina Carpenter is set to jump down the rabbit hole and onto the big screen with a new musical adaptation of the Lewis Carroll classic Alice in Wonderland.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
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Despite the backaches, headaches, high blood pressure, shortness of breath, sweating and various other physical manifestations from Clarke’s manifestation of the Murdaugh family patriarch, Jason was never going to actually catch up to Alex on the scale.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Nov. 2025
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Much of the fan speculation and manifestation surrounding KATSEYE’s Grammy chances centered on the Best New Artist category.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
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Many existing models still rely on empirical methods developed several decades ago.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
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Political parties in early America subsidized newspapers and became the foundation of the press’s business model.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Sticking to this motto helped Cribs walk the line between being relatable and aspirational—an effort that, 25 years later, in an era of hyper-wealth on television, seems almost quaint.—
Kim Hew-Low,
The Atlantic,
10 Nov. 2025
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Before that there had been three mottoes, all traditional rather than official.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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As with many of A24's horror movies, we're left to ponder whether anything supernatural happens as Maud's quest reaches its apotheosis, proving that fanatical belief is enough to inspire great terrors.—
Dennis Perkins,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
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But even with no products, no makeup, an no extra zhuzh, Ross and Union are the apotheosis of melanin magic.—
Essence,
Essence,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Byword.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/byword. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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