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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When citizens insist on shaping the basic terms of social life by appealing to premises that others cannot reasonably be expected to accept—revelation, doctrines of transcendence, private moral visions—the result is not a purer politics but a dangerously brittle one.—
Nikhil Krishnan,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026 -
This theology leaves little room for the restraint that characterized earlier security doctrines.—
Arie Perliger,
The Conversation,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Across the country, retailers and low-income Americans are facing complex new rules overhauling what millions of people can buy with food stamps.—
Rachel Roubein,
Washington Post,
20 Apr. 2026
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One can see why wrestling appealed to him—the crowd is everything, the rules mean nothing, and the referees are so feckless that they often get knocked out and everyone laughs.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The project’s financing dictates that the market-rate tower has separate ownership from the affordable segment, Kingston said.—
Nick Wooten,
Dallas Morning News,
2 Apr. 2026
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This cut comes with dictates—jaw-length or shorter, most often paired with bangs—but also leaves room for personalized play.—
Calin Van Paris,
InStyle,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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His preference would be to find simpler axioms for quantum mechanics — intuitive principles that would let theorists re-derive the theory in a new form altogether.—
Daniel Garisto,
Quanta Magazine,
7 Nov. 2025
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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
Noun
-
Meanwhile, the rollout of India’s new four labor codes, intended to replace a patchwork of older laws, formally began on April 1, though implementation depends on individual states finalizing their own rules.—
Mayu Saini,
Footwear News,
17 Apr. 2026
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Tybee Island has an open container ordinance, so drinks can be taken out onto the beach in to-go cups, but public intoxication laws will also be enforced.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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Maybe anyone planning long journeys should take those maxims as advice anyhow.—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Speaking on a recent analyst call, Dimon also pointed to some easing in underwriting standards across the market, noting that the trend extends beyond private credit.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
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Good Jobs First said in most cases, states are failing to disclose incentives in violation of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, a private organization that sets financial reporting standards for state and local governments.—
Kevin Hardy,
Baltimore Sun,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Minor damage was caused to the synagogue’s premises and nobody was injured in that attack, police said.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2026
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When citizens insist on shaping the basic terms of social life by appealing to premises that others cannot reasonably be expected to accept—revelation, doctrines of transcendence, private moral visions—the result is not a purer politics but a dangerously brittle one.—
Nikhil Krishnan,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Dicta.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dicta. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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