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 hysteria about a superior race, the insistence that all would be well if one insidious group was purged—those doctrines had been entirely defeated.—
Joan Silber,
New Yorker,
30 Nov. 2025 -
Fundamental philosophical and religious doctrines emerged in China, India, and the Middle East, along with Greece.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
16 Nov. 2025
Noun
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So there's really no choice but for the four major conference commissioners to compile a set of rules and guidelines that make at least a marginal bit of sense.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Jan. 2026
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Georgetown law professor Steve Vladeck, a witness called by Democrats, said the nondisclosure process followed then-existing DOJ guidelines and that Congress only revised notification rules after a 2024 inspector general report.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Magritte is an artist who comes with a host of associated personal symbols—all those apples, bowler hats, mirrors, and trains—which interact according to the dictates of dream logic.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Dec. 2025
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Russia is too big compared with Ukraine, and its willingness to fight on dictates that ending the war will require Ukraine to make concessions.—
Thomas Friedman,
Mercury News,
5 Dec. 2025
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
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In fact, Penn may have actually violated one of California’s clean air laws.—
David Matthews,
Mercury News,
12 Jan. 2026
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The project involves removing asbestos and lead contamination, updating the facilities to be compliant with accessibility laws, and upgrading electrical and ventilation systems.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The rest of the book is spent expanding on these maxims one by one, in her colloquial, easy style, with references to classic psychological studies, her own research and her own experiences.—
Lamorna Ash,
The Dial,
25 Nov. 2025
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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
Noun
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Capping those rates could backfire, resulting in significantly stricter lending standards and making credit unavailable to lower-income people or those with lower credit scores.—
Luciana Lopez,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
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Beyond money, other issues expected to be hammered out in CBA talks include the length of the season, facility and travel standards, retirement benefits and changes to rookie deals.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Ensure your home is securely locked when vacating the premises.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
7 Jan. 2026
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Two fire exits from the premises were sufficient for 100 customers in the upper part of the bar and another 100 in the basement section, Féraud said.—
Joseph Ataman,
CNN Money,
6 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Dicta.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dicta. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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