Thesaurus results for DICTUMS

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."

Related Words

Relevance

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

Noun

As a kid growing up in a religious household, Jean found the strict doctrines of Christianity unconvincing.

— Juliet Linderman, Fortune, 16 July 2026
Even Fitz-Gerald’s locker is a callback to his mom’s doctrines.

— Spencer Nusbaum, New York Times, 10 July 2026

Definition of doctrines

Noun

Landlords and billing firms argue RUBS promotes conservation and recoups rising costs, even as studies, regulators and a recent legal settlement push for submetering and stronger transparency rules.

— Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
But the court’s unsigned emergency ruling injects new uncertainty about voting rules in Georgia a little more than two months before the midterms.

— Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of rules

Noun

But rather than riding on the top of the mikoshi, or portable Shinto shrine, as tradition dictates, the heavily pregnant Kawata walked behind it.

— Reuters, NBC news, 20 July 2026
Starting next week, a 30-member task force will begin reviewing 24 proposals for a cut of Orange County’s Tourist Development Tax proceeds, which state law dictates must generally be used to promote tourism.

— Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2026

Definition of dictates

Noun

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
So rather than roll those binary axioms up into a conclusion, there is an easier way to judge the scale of the future of AI, even if not its shape.

— Clem Chambers, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of axioms

Noun

The state agency oversees the facility’s air and water quality permits and compliance with environmental waste laws.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Johnson has repeatedly spoken out about how Missouri’s gun laws have hampered prosecuting the case, after two of the men charged in the shooting received plea agreements.

— Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of laws

Noun

The walls are robin’s-egg blue, painted with images of meditating skeletons and vaguely inspirational maxims.

— John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026
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

Definition of maxims

Noun

Rooms are spacious by Tokyo standards and reliably comfortable, with the service consistency that makes Marriott a default for travelers who don't want any (unpleasant) surprises.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
Crib standards also change, as drop-sided cribs were banned from manufacture in 2011, with the most recent crib regulation update being August 1, 2026.

— Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of standards

Noun

Some prediction market companies have received unflattering media headlines based on false premises—Kalshi doesn’t take bets directly involving war or wildfires despite substantial news coverage suggesting otherwise.

— Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 24 Aug. 2026
What is sophistic is therefore to let the movement from sentience to moral status and then from moral status to legal rights happen without making visible the additional premises that are necessary at each stage.

— Hamilton Mann, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of premises

Browse Nearby Words

dicks

dicta

dictate

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Dicta.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dicta. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of dicta

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

kith

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes