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
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
This all sounds promising for Geagea, except that his strategy will have to contend with the age-old Lebanese dictum that national political appointments in Lebanon are seldom, if ever, purely a domestic matter.
—Bilal Y. Saab, Foreign Affairs, 26 Jan. 2016
But for political principals to insist on editing procedures or outcomes is certainly inconsistent with the First Amendment’s dictum regarding the press and maintaining the media’s freedom from government interference.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 25 Apr. 2025
The next Democrat to become president, Bill Clinton, won election in 1992 in part by stressing his adherence to Reagan’s free-market dictums.
—Jennifer M. Harris, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dictum
Elizabeth Rush, The Atlantic, 26 May 2025
This all sounds promising for Geagea, except that his strategy will have to contend with the age-old Lebanese dictum that national political appointments in Lebanon are seldom, if ever, purely a domestic matter.
—Bilal Y. Saab, Foreign Affairs, 26 Jan. 2016
But for political principals to insist on editing procedures or outcomes is certainly inconsistent with the First Amendment’s dictum regarding the press and maintaining the media’s freedom from government interference.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 25 Apr. 2025
The next Democrat to become president, Bill Clinton, won election in 1992 in part by stressing his adherence to Reagan’s free-market dictums.
—Jennifer M. Harris, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dictum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictum
Noun
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The program supports plastic-carbon footprint reporting and aligns with extended producer responsibility (EPR) principles, helping businesses prepare for regulatory shifts while promoting long-term environmental and operational resilience.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
14 Aug. 2025
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This means the agent could, at least in principle, provide users with meaningful guidance that might facilitate the creation of dangerous biological threats.—
Brian Tse,
Time,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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This means knowing that AI has a purpose and a set of rules, and that it can be biased or flawed.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
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Swarthmore would not be the first school to allow a biological male to compete in women's sports after the NCAA rule change, if the allegations are true.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
17 Aug. 2025
Noun
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This change comes after the U.S. Supreme Court’s blockbuster 2024 decision overturning the Chevron doctrine, which for 50 years had often bound federal courts to defer to the executive branch for interpretation of U.S. law.—
Bayliss Wagner,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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The ruling is part of a broader conservative legal agenda that’s been years in the making—one that took a major leap forward when the court overturned the Chevron doctrine last year.—
Monifa Bandele,
Essence,
29 July 2025
Noun
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To Know Every Nail To build a proof, mathematicians start with a sturdy foundation of assumptions, or axioms.—
Jordana Cepelewicz,
Quanta Magazine,
30 Apr. 2025
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To prove those true statements, mathematicians would have to add a new axiom.—
Gregory Barber,
Quanta Magazine,
20 June 2025
Noun
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But a sprawling expanse of abusive online behavior doesn’t technically violate federal laws or individual company policies.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Aug. 2025
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The bill would have reclassified these drivers as independent contractors and exempted them from state minimum wage, unemployment insurance and worker's compensation laws.—
Anna Kleiber,
jsonline.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Noun
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On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.2% in July, down from 0.3% the previous month, while core prices ticked up 0.3%, a bit faster than the 0.2% in June.—
Christopher Rugaber,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Aug. 2025
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As such, the state is also a hub for NORAD firepower stationed at two primary bases of Fairbanks and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, where President Donald Trump is set to receive Putin on Friday.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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That was one of the guiding maxims within the company.—
Terry Gross,
NPR,
17 July 2025
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Keeping with that maxim, McNally begins with his suicide attempt in 2018 on the heels of a debilitating stroke.—
Sean Woods,
Rolling Stone,
24 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dictum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictum. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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