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
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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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This earthy classic is easy to style with practically any outfit and has been an undeniable focal point in designers’ collections for decades.—
Christina Shepherd McGuire,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
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This one from Polywood is a classic.—
Blake Bakkila,
Architectural Digest,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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At a minimum, his play in leading the Spurs to a 60-win season — and his words in defense of his unparalleled impact — have made a great case.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2026
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The fact that Grace and Rocky start their word list with numbers makes sense, says Arik Kershenbaum, an associate professor at the University of Cambridge who has studied wolf calls.—
Tara Haelle,
NPR,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Within the parameters of a game—where non-player characters essentially function as different disguises for, and manifestations of, a single narrative engine—such paranoia might not be unjustified.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
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Its arrival in this sizzling Fire sign shifts the tone from dreamy introversion to active manifestation.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The old saying about the Masters is that the tournament doesn’t truly begin until the back nine on Sunday.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
12 Apr. 2026
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There’s an old saying that goes something like the poet needs the imagination of a scientist, and the scientist needs the precision of the poet.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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So no, the Nets didn’t spend this season proving that five first-round picks at once is some elegant new model the rest of the league should rush to copy.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
14 Apr. 2026
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The system runs on UnifoLM, Unitree’s proprietary unified large-scale model for robotics, and supports reinforcement learning to improve motion control and task execution.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The hope that this motto refers to is the hope of the resurrection – of life triumphing over death – as reflected in the golden cross.—
Mathew Schmalz,
The Conversation,
9 Apr. 2026
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Sí Se Puede is the iconic motto of the United Farm Workers of America, which was founded by both Chavez and Huerta.—
Kamal Morgan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Apr. 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 16 Apr. 2026.
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