Definition of epigramnext
as in proverb
an often stated observation regarding something from common experience Benjamin Franklin's famous epigram, "Remember that time is money"

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Recent Examples of epigram By greatly expanding the dimensions of his images, with their muted palettes, tight cropping, found symmetries, and laconic wit, had the maestro of the photographic epigram betrayed his subtractive aesthetic? — James Quandt, Artforum, 2 June 2026 Johnson is the author of the epigrams, but Boswell is very much the co-author. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026 Holmes’ feed is a babbling stream of self-help epigrams, ankle-deep reflections and many, many photos of herself. — Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 10 Dec. 2025 That celebrated epigram is delivered by the character of Octave, who is the greatest creation of Renoir’s career—not least because he’s played by Renoir in a performance that’s essentially a self-portrait, even an onscreen self-creation. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 July 2025 It’s been codified as myths, proverbs, clichés, epigrams, parables; the skeleton of every great story. — Jann E. Freed, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025 Her poems of that era — sonnets, epigrams, eminently quotable snippets of rhymed gossip — pulse with the dynamism and attitude of the modern city. — A.o. Scott, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025 Throughout, Snook hams for laughs, turning Wilde’s witticisms and epigrams into slapstick. — Christian Lewis, Variety, 28 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for epigram
Noun
  • In American sports, namely college and professional football, head coaches often land on one singular proverb after a victory.
    — Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The underlying lesson of the proverb dates back at least to the time of the first Olympics in Greece — nearly 3,000 years ago, for those counting at home.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 20 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • One of my favorite sayings came from a wetsuit ad for Body Glove in SURFER magazine back in the mid 1960s that featured Mickey Munoz.
    — Corky Carroll, Oc Register, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Put junk into it, and more junk will come out, as the saying goes.
    — Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Rifugio, the Italian word for shelter or escape, opened in 2025 to provide a community space with a focus on fitness and self-care.
    — Emily M. Olson, Hartford Courant, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Those three words were repeated over and over in the first half of Carolina’s 26-21 loss to the Denver Broncos in Bank of America Stadium.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 8 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • States have always been our laboratories of democracy, to use Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis’ famous aphorism.
    — Merrill Goozner, Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Richardson discusses how his early fascination with science and his enjoyment of science fiction has influenced his poetry and considers the way his aphorisms counterbalance his more lyric poems.
    — Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Epigram.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/epigram. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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