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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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of byword
That look has become a byword for French girl style and continues to influence designers like Hedi Slimane, who showcased his spring 2023 collection for Celine in Saint-Tropez.
—
Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 28 Dec. 2025
How did hocus pocus transform from the stage name of a magician (and it should be said, an accomplished juggler, according to Ady) to a byword for the entire craft?
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for byword
Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 28 Dec. 2025
How did hocus pocus transform from the stage name of a magician (and it should be said, an accomplished juggler, according to Ady) to a byword for the entire craft?
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for byword
Recent Examples of Synonyms for byword
Noun
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What does the phrase squeaky bum time, the racehorse Devon Loch, and the Portuguese proverb ‘morrer na prais’ all have in common?—
Ian Irving,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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The rooms The old Japanese proverb ‘*kachou fuugetsu’—*which translates as ‘flower, bird, wind, moon’ evoking a sense of the transient beauty of nature—is a key concept at the hotel.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The 11-song vinyl LP features blues classics and originals by Dallas musicians including Bramhall’s son Doyle Bramhall II — Eric Clapton’s longtime guitar partner — and the late Denny Freeman, best known for his guitar work with Bob Dylan.—
Thor Christensen,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Mar. 2026
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Roulette Crossbody Bag The Roulette bag brings a unique twist to an otherwise timeless classic with a bold, cylindrical silhouette.—
Paige Bennett,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Mostly Mute Monday tells an astronomical story in images, visuals, and no more than 200 words.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
9 Mar. 2026
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Our daily word puzzle with a plot twist.—
Nasteho Said,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The vocal and physical manifestations of the characters must become second nature.—
Sarah Sotoodeh , Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
8 Mar. 2026
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Thao Nguyen Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian welcomed Mojtaba Khamenei as the country's new supreme leader, saying his appointment is the manifestation of Iran's will to strengthen national unity.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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So to get to be playing the character who originated a saying that is a huge part of my vocabulary — and that I’ve been so obsessed with for so long — is crazy.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Mar. 2026
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Models are born, not made, to tweak Simone de Beauvoir’s famous saying.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The road ahead However, as AI models improve and businesses become more savvy at integrating new tools, Llewellyn is hopeful about their utility.—
Sydney Goh,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2026
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Rhoda says its approach addresses this limitation by training robot models on internet-scale video data before refining them with robot-specific learning.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Schumaker is heavily involved with the Jennie Rees Foundation and wears a bracelet featuring the NEGU (Never Ever Give Up) acronym that is the organization’s motto.—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Mar. 2026
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That became the trip's unofficial motto.—
Lisa A. Beach,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
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After portraying Alabaster, down to his pearly-white surname, as the apotheosis of white male villainy, Cash deflates him by arguing, essentially, #NotAllMen.—
Malavika Kannan,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2026
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For this Welsh immigrant family rose from nothing to produce an American icon who mastered a distinctly American art form — the ultimate apotheosis of the American Dream — and who is, ironically, the most miserable of them all.—
Ben Croll,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Byword.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/byword. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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