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"
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of byword
The four teen-agers—Cabey, Barry Allen, Troy Canty, and James Ramseur—came from the South Bronx at a time when the borough was still a national byword for immiseration and hopelessness.
—
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
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
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
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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While Paris is home to institutions like Harry’s Bar (which claims to be Europe’s first cocktail bar) and the birthplace of classics like the Prohibition-era Boulevardier, the city’s cocktail scene historically hasn't had the same edge as New York, London, or Singapore.—
Lane Nieset,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
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For an edit of the best soft ballet flats on the market, scroll ahead—our favorites range from the edgy and cool to classics with fewer details and more functionality.—
Christina Holevas,
Vogue,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
The game’s objective is to group words or objects into four groups of four based on commonalities within each group as quickly as possible.—
Mark Cooper,
New York Times,
8 June 2026
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Already, attention must be paid, and italics must be used, because eyepatch Armand is, to use his favorite word, fascinating.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
Noun
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Being bitten by Pirate Clark may have been a manifestation of Clark's deepest emotional wounds and desires — or maybe the monster just needed a meal.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
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Meanwhile, here are some other Bay Area manifestations of the Miles/Coltrane centennial.—
Andrew Gilbert,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
Noun
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But the saying can also apply in the traditional sense, explaining that favoritism, and biases, are a part of life, society, business and sport, and everyone must find a way to play the hand they are dealt.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
-
Age and guile, as the old saying goes, beat youth and skill every time.—
Peter Lucas,
Boston Herald,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
The department announced in May that Google, xAI and Microsoft had agreed to submit their AI models for security testing.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
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Anthropic will offer the EU use of its cutting-edge Mythos AI model to plug cybersecurity holes.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
2 June 2026
Noun
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My motto actually comes from coming up in restaurant world.—
Emily Elias,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
3 June 2026
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Like the Texas motto, the fashion is bigger here, meaning people aren’t afraid to dress boldly.—
Alyssa Morin,
InStyle,
29 May 2026
Noun
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This latter-day diner is true to the genre, down to its Formica, chrome and gum-cracking soul, with breakfast understood as the apotheosis of the day and the almost supernaturally fluffy pancakes, anointed in syrup and salted honey-maple butter, available until closing time.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Byword.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/byword. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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