as in principle
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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Recent Examples of dictum
The majority opinion in Pierce v. Society of Sisters of the Holy Name of Jesus and Mary included a now-famous dictum about parents’ rights to shape their children’s upbringing.
—
Charles J. Russo, The Conversation, 5 June 2025
At a Vanity Fair party, Diddy admonished Nash because Cassie’s hair was not in keeping with his dictum.
—Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 28 May 2025
Those organizing in opposition to pipelines in South Dakota, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Rhode Island carry the dictum on their lips.
—Elizabeth Rush, The Atlantic, 26 May 2025
Ultimately, the old dictum still stands – Garbage in, garbage out.
—Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dictum
Charles J. Russo, The Conversation, 5 June 2025
At a Vanity Fair party, Diddy admonished Nash because Cassie’s hair was not in keeping with his dictum.
—Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 28 May 2025
Those organizing in opposition to pipelines in South Dakota, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Rhode Island carry the dictum on their lips.
—Elizabeth Rush, The Atlantic, 26 May 2025
Ultimately, the old dictum still stands – Garbage in, garbage out.
—Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dictum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictum
Noun
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Every Monday after an Eagles game, Nick Sirianni reviews a personal checklist based on his core principles to determine how his team played — win or lose.—
Zach Berman,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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The right to citizenship at birth has long been a bedrock principle in the United States, widely accepted to have been granted by the 14th Amendment to the Constitution in 1868.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Schools must follow state mandates on instructional hours, but states typically don’t set strict rules on how long a lunch period should be, so some principals whittle it down to twenty or twenty-five minutes.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
4 Oct. 2025
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According to the rules laid down by Nobel in his 1895 will, the prizes can only honor up to three people per award — a growing challenge given the collaborative nature of much scientific research.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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For now, Venegas’s lawsuit spotlights a growing clash between Supreme Court doctrine and on-the-ground enforcement.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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There was never a Blair doctrine or philosophy of government, unlike his predecessor, Margaret Thatcher.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But is that axiom true if someone's only gone a few hours?—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
27 Sep. 2025
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Rob Picciolo axiom of ’98 that a ballplayer shouldn’t be surprised by anything that happens in a game, Cronenworth got a great jump out of the batter’s box, cornered first base precisely and made a crisp slide into second base.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Safety information California law states that everyone under the age of 18 years must wear a bike helmet while riding a bicycle.—
Carlos Rico,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Sep. 2025
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Vedra and other debt law experts said a high rate of default judgments indicates a system that favors the pursuers over the pursued — and increases the chances someone will be harmed by an erroneous bill.—
Rae Ellen Bichell,
Fortune,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The 2023 writers’ strike opened up airtime on ABC on a weekly basis and contributed to a 29% jump in ratings.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
29 Sep. 2025
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Anyone who possessed this overwhelming desire to face near certain death on a regular basis is going to be unusual.—
Belinda Luscombe,
Time,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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And how does Simonson feel about my own Martini maxim: that it must be served with an odd number of olives, while an even number represents the apocalypse.—
Adam Morganstern,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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The Sonicare brushing app is proof that this maxim couldn’t be truer.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dictum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictum. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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