dicta

noun

variants also dictums
plural of dictum
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

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 dicta Safe and familiar as that trajectory might be in a post-#GirlBoss rom-com, Goldstein and Joe Kelly’s script adds a little spice into the mix by questioning the dictums of today’s office culture. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 4 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dicta
  1. doctrines
  2. rules
  3. dictates
  4. axioms
  5. laws
  6. maxims
  7. standards
  8. premises
Noun
  • Even Fitz-Gerald’s locker is a callback to his mom’s doctrines.
    — Spencer Nusbaum, New York Times, 10 July 2026
  • Assayas’s aesthetic is too genteel to even imagine the specifics of loathsome doctrines.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 13 May 2026
Definition of doctrines
Noun
  • Facing unpredictable tariffs, fleet disruptions, and intense competition, the company is entering a new era of reglobalization, where automated belt systems, edge robotics, and new trade patterns are rewriting the rules of global supply chains.
    — Fortune Editors, Fortune, 15 July 2026
  • The publisher added a direct purchase option to the game in violation of both Apple’s and Google’s rules.
    — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 15 July 2026
Definition of rules
Noun
  • The difference is the true deficit, as the Legislature’s nonpartisan budget analyst Gabe Petek sees it — and as common sense dictates.
    — Dan Walters, Mercury News, 9 July 2026
  • Tradition dictates, in its birthplace of the Piedmont region of Italy, that tonnato is served with thin pieces of veal.
    — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 29 June 2026
Definition of dictates
Noun
  • Everything in mathematics therefore rests on the axioms, or basic building blocks, of the field.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 26 May 2026
  • One may argue that a more fundamental theory (with more complete axioms) could decide the question, but the final theory should not have undecidable statements.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 18 May 2026
Definition of axioms
Noun
  • Politicians have been ushered on the stages of megachurches to receive a pastor’s endorsement despite IRS tax laws that forbid it.
    — Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
  • Bonta’s office did not respond to a request for comment on whether DHS ownership of the facilities could limit the state’s ability to enforce its oversight laws, including AB 103.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of laws
Noun
  • By now, decades into Americans’ pursuit of cooking as a mainstream hobby, certain maxims have become near-law among food lovers.
    — Emily Heil, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Maybe anyone planning long journeys should take those maxims as advice anyhow.
    — Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Definition of maxims
Noun
  • But male-beauty standards have risen markedly during the past decade or so.
    — Jia Tolentino, New Yorker, 11 July 2026
  • Loeb says the group is focused on evidence, instrumentation, data analysis and collection standards.
    — Leonard David, Space.com, 11 July 2026
Definition of standards
Noun
  • Ensure your home is securely locked when vacating the premises.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 13 July 2026
  • During the Revolutionary War, the premises were used as a hospital.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
Definition of premises

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Cite this Entry

“Dicta.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dicta. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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