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."
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dicta
Noun
-
Two people in the same local assembly may share similar doctrines but be at odds over the efficacy of modern scientific medicine, especially vaccines.—
Cory Anderson,
STAT,
6 Mar. 2026 -
Prevailing economic doctrines proved flawed.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
All medical specialties have rules for filling out their notes, and ABA providers shouldn’t need the state to tell them that copying and pasting the same summary for each session, as the inspectors found in some cases, wasn’t good enough, Bimestefer said.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Teams are required to demonstrate that there was a misapplication of the official playing rules, as opposed to an error in judgment by game officials, according to the NBA.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The girls decide to go and look for a traditional skirt for Qihuo to commemorate this rite of passage, as tradition dictates.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
-
There is perhaps no sport that is more in thrall to the dictates of orthodoxy than baseball, which is so steeped in tradition that a visit to the ballpark is often a bit like hopping into a time machine.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
The state lawyers argued the merger would run afoul of federal laws designed to protect against monopolies.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Mar. 2026
-
The state-level laws include limiting collection of certain personal information and requiring more transparency from companies.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Maybe anyone planning long journeys should take those maxims as advice anyhow.—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
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
Noun
-
Each year, the United Nations puts together a list of the happiest countries in the world, comparing a wide variety of criteria, from average incomes and healthcare standards to levels of generosity and the absence of corruption.—
Olivia Morelli,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 Mar. 2026
-
They are regulated by CMS and overseen by the Health Resources and Services Administration, but that oversight occurs primarily through certification standards, performance metrics, and periodic audits rather than routine public disclosure requirements.—
Dr. Céline Gounder,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In Iran, Tehran said that a projectile struck the premises of Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant Tuesday evening, although no damage to the plant or injuries to staff were reported, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
18 Mar. 2026
-
As penance, Prager would run the center, live on the premises and personally tend to patients for years, until the last one had died or his sentence was up.—
Jack Crosbie,
Rolling Stone,
17 Mar. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Dicta.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dicta. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
