variants
also dictums
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dicta
Noun
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The Fed chair’s grounding in history liberated him from rigid doctrines and encouraged innovative policymaking.—
John T. Shaw,
Twin Cities,
5 Nov. 2025 -
Courts, for their part, developed legal doctrines that require them to presume the President’s good faith in deferring to him.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
12 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
World Athletics sets the rules, handles drug testing and organizes the championships, among other duties, but still doesn’t have the power to make the more sweeping changes Lyles thinks track and field needs.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
11 Nov. 2025
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Define which work belongs where, give people the tools and ergonomics to do it well, and write the rules down so the next hire doesn’t have to guess.—
Jason Phillips,
IndyStar,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Smaller countries in the region, especially in Southeast Asia, would have to submit to Beijing’s dictates.—
Eyck Freymann,
Time,
4 Nov. 2025
-
An invisible line between Austin and San Antonio dictates where childcare aid can be used.—
Jayme Fraser,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In other words, as Cleveland tore through the league last season, the players responded to most of the milestones reached with a collective shrug and worn axioms about nothing mattering until the playoffs.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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The hope of deriving one set of rules, or axioms, to govern all mathematical truths was fatally undermined.—
Theodore McDarrah,
Forbes,
14 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The cemetery of good but dead laws is infinite; the main thing is that social forces exist.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
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On the one hand, consumer protection laws are a hallmark of the region.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Everything bops breezily along, stopping occasionally to have Dek growl maxims about strength through domination, and observe a decapitation or two.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
4 Nov. 2025
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Visitors who travel down a dirt road to The Hollow — named for the hollow-core concrete that made Mellor wealthy — can enter the compound through a dark, cavernous passage lined with neon signs illuminating maxims from the likes of Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, and Flynn.—
Arthur Allen,
Miami Herald,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Rather, the slow start (by Ovechkin’s standards) to this season seemed due more to poor puck luck.—
Sean Gentille,
New York Times,
6 Nov. 2025
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For starters, he or she will be armed with some of the top TV and film incentives in the nation, crediting up to 40 percent of qualified expenses against taxes for productions that meet a series of minimum standards.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The police set off to raid the premises.—
Mick Krever,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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Ensure your home is securely locked when vacating the premises.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
5 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Dicta.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dicta. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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