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
On his plane plastered with Trumpian epigrams, Vance makes the case for Trump’s second-term vision of enhanced executive power.
—Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 26 Sep. 2024
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
On his plane plastered with Trumpian epigrams, Vance makes the case for Trump’s second-term vision of enhanced executive power.
—Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 26 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for epigram
Noun
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What does the phrase squeaky bum time, the racehorse Devon Loch, and the Portuguese proverb ‘morrer na prais’ all have in common?—
Ian Irving,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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The rooms The old Japanese proverb ‘*kachou fuugetsu’—*which translates as ‘flower, bird, wind, moon’ evoking a sense of the transient beauty of nature—is a key concept at the hotel.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Pride, the saying goes, comes before a fall.—
Mark Barabak,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
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As the old saying goes, don’t try to eat an elephant in one bite.—
Bob Rhatigan,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Noun
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After the second disallowance, the crowd of 57,741 sang their disapproval with words that can’t be printed in a family newspaper.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
1 June 2026
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Yet will soon seem to me the defining word of this experience.—
Alexandra Oliva
June 1,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
Noun
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His social commentary reflected disgust with the unfettered capitalism of the Gilded Age, and his cynical aphorisms became widely quoted.—
Peter Hessler,
New Yorker,
31 May 2026
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The statement is one among many hard-hitting aphorisms that ring devastatingly true for the state of our current world, as late-stage capitalism widens the gap between haves and have-nots, creating unsustainable conditions for millions of people.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Epigram.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/epigram. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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