dicta

noun

variants also dictums
plural of dictum
as in doctrines
formal a statement or well-known remark that expresses an important idea, observation, or opinion A doctor must follow the dictum of "First, do no harm."

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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 dicta Safe and familiar as that trajectory might be in a post-#GirlBoss rom-com, Goldstein and Joe Kelly’s script adds a little spice into the mix by questioning the dictums of today’s office culture. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 4 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dicta
  1. doctrines
  2. rules
  3. dictates
  4. axioms
  5. laws
  6. maxims
  7. standards
  8. premises
Noun
  • Greece sees the system as central to modernizing its forces amid tensions with NATO neighbor Turkey, embracing new doctrines to counter ballistic missiles, drones, cyber threats and other evolving forms of warfare.
    — Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • As a kid growing up in a religious household, Jean found the strict doctrines of Christianity unconvincing.
    — Juliet Linderman, Fortune, 16 July 2026
Definition of doctrines
Noun
  • The new rules mandated that referees stop play for a ten-minute hydration break that allows players to drink fluids, change clothes, or shower in their locker room.
    — Aaron Short, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Local authorities say rules have been set by US authorities barring personnel from visiting cannabis dispensaries and taking part in watersports including jet skiing and parasailing.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of rules
Noun
  • The individual sensibilities of people who directed them were subordinated to dictates of the franchise.
    — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026
  • But rather than riding on the top of the mikoshi, or portable Shinto shrine, as tradition dictates, the heavily pregnant Kawata walked behind it.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 20 July 2026
Definition of dictates
Noun
  • The question fascinated David Hilbert, a renowned mathematician who had devoted much of his life to rebuilding physics on a sturdy foundation of crisp axioms.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Yes, the Greeks made remarkable advances in mathematics, but mostly in geometry, which is about solid, stable objects and uses a strict hierarchy of axioms, rules, and procedures—very Platonic.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of axioms
Noun
  • The letter alleged the Smithsonian ​may have violated anti-discrimination laws.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The franchise legally resides in Utah, which has one of the lowest minimum wage laws in the country.
    — Sam Blum, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of laws
Noun
  • The walls are robin’s-egg blue, painted with images of meditating skeletons and vaguely inspirational maxims.
    — John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026
  • By now, decades into Americans’ pursuit of cooking as a mainstream hobby, certain maxims have become near-law among food lovers.
    — Emily Heil, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2026
Definition of maxims
Noun
  • Inspectors have found hundreds of allegedly fictitious facilities, while at least 833 kitchens have been shut down for failing to meet hygiene and sanitation standards.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Both choices will serve students when faculty are clear about their ambitions and standards.
    — Sian Leah Beilock, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of standards
Noun
  • Russian forces also repeatedly struck a shopping center in the southern Mykolaiv region with drones overnight, damaging retail premises and sparking fires, Ukraine’s state emergency services said.
    — Kyla Guilfoil, NBC news, 5 Sep. 2026
  • As the quartet’s planning proceeds, complete with a Lego model of the bank premises, Hamza’s wrangling for a larger share of the haul is relentless.
    — Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of premises

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Cite this Entry

“Dicta.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dicta. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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