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dictum

noun

Definition of dictumnext
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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Example Sentences

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 dictum The dictum is Beijing’s most substantive retaliation yet to Sanae Takaichi’s remarks. — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025 But today the dictum applies to Israel, as well. — Richard Haass, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2025 Not that Wolfe’s dictum was totally off the mark. — David McGrath, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025 This dictum—to honor and to applaud—brought me to Charleston this past December. — Latria Graham, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 May 2023 See All Example Sentences for dictum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictum
  1. principle
  2. rule
  3. doctrine
  4. axiom
  5. law
  6. basis
  7. maxim
Noun
  • Modernist principles were not America’s cultural language; they were imported and established through institutions.
    — Frank Porcu, New York Daily News, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Latshaw said public health officials often rely on the precautionary principle, reducing potential exposures when feasible even before definitive evidence of harm exists.
    — Julia Vargas Jones, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of principle
Noun
  • Their sweeping measure, announced earlier this month, would permanently ban the development and deployment of artificial superintelligence and temporarily pause advanced AI development until federal safety rules are established.
    — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Started by linebacker Jordyn Brooks, the three-takeaway rule has transformed into a weekly gauge in how the defense performs.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of rule
Noun
  • 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
  • Because of the boldness of their political positions and doctrines, progressives can be seen as more charismatic than their more centrist counterparts.
    — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of doctrine
Noun
  • 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
  • Yes, the Greeks made remarkable advances in mathematics, but mostly in geometry, which is about solid, stable objects and uses a strict hierarchy of axioms, rules, and procedures—very Platonic.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of axiom
Noun
  • The system is a maze in which laws collide with gray areas, where layers upon layers of policy have accumulated over decades in a pile waiting for reform that has never come.
    — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
  • California community colleges will be able to offer more bachelor’s degrees under a law signed by the governor.
    — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of law
Noun
  • Insights gained from the pilot project will form the basis for a potential future application of these materials in series-production battery cells.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Venable hasn’t diverged from his early-season strategy of using his relievers early and often and employing openers on a semiregular basis.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of basis
Noun
  • Living by a maxim that equated failure with opportunity, Brees exhibited a knack for turning tribulation into triumph.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 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 maxim

Browse Nearby Words

dictions
dictum
did
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Cite this Entry

“Dictum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictum. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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