Thesaurus results for DICTA

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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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

Noun

The Arab Gulf states, meanwhile, are reworking their security doctrines.

— Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2026
First, the law takes its time in responding to new technologies, figuring that new tools can be accommodated within existing ideas, rules, and doctrines.

— Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of doctrines

Noun

Its rules about transfers and conference membership seem arbitrary and deferential to the Southeastern and Big Ten conferences, college football's most influential.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
The proposal arrived as California works through a broader overhaul of recycling rules.

— Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of rules

Noun

At the heart of Wang’s vision for WWM is a model where the public dictates which stories are worth further exploration.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2026
The individual sensibilities of people who directed them were subordinated to dictates of the franchise.

— Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of dictates

Noun

In other words, in both mathematical and religious uses, an oracle provides answers to problems that could not be resolved within an existing system or set of axioms.

— Ambuj Tewari, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of axioms

Noun

Pan, a pediatrician, made national headlines while in the Legislature for leading California’s efforts to enact strict school vaccine laws.

— Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
The president and his allies have insisted that existing liability laws offer enough protections.

— Jeff Masonand Michael Shepard Bloomberg, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of laws

Noun

Groups of implicatures Grice identified three broad groups of implicatures generated through the observance, violation, or flouting of maxims in keeping with the cooperative principle.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Sep. 2026
The walls are robin’s-egg blue, painted with images of meditating skeletons and vaguely inspirational maxims.

— John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026

Definition of maxims

Noun

Professional societies and standards organizations will need to develop and regularly update the technical requirements.

— Euan Ashley, STAT, 1 Oct. 2026
Cornell University’s investigation, of course, did not have to adhere to New York’s arguably archaic criminal standards, but its response, too, has triggered anger and disbelief across airwaves and social media.

— Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of standards

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“Dicta.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dicta. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of dicta

noun

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