as in proverb
an often stated observation regarding something from common experience
it's a common maxim that "a watched pot never boils," but that's not literally true
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Recent Examples of maxim
And how does Simonson feel about my own Martini maxim: that it must be served with an odd number of olives, while an even number represents the apocalypse.
—
Adam Morganstern, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
The Sonicare brushing app is proof that this maxim couldn’t be truer.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 29 Aug. 2025
There's a maxim in the intelligence community always about speaking truth to power.
—ABC News, 24 Aug. 2025
The celebrity certainly lived up to that maxim.
—Daniel Cote, Robb Report, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for maxim
Adam Morganstern, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
The Sonicare brushing app is proof that this maxim couldn’t be truer.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 29 Aug. 2025
There's a maxim in the intelligence community always about speaking truth to power.
—ABC News, 24 Aug. 2025
The celebrity certainly lived up to that maxim.
—Daniel Cote, Robb Report, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for maxim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maxim
Noun
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The lyrics, some inspired by proverbs and biblical passages, convey the fervor of his first love with God, without losing his personal touch.—
Jessica Roiz,
Billboard,
17 Oct. 2025
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His tale has become a proverb for any outdoor fanatic who, despite all of the proper planning and preparation, is undone by forces more powerful than him or herself.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Amish are part of the wider Anabaptist movement, which puts heavy emphasis on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, containing some of his most radical and counter-cultural sayings — to love enemies, live simply, bless persecutors, turn the other cheek and to endure sufferings joyfully.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
30 Oct. 2025
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But as the saying goes, the best ability is availability, and Ertz has proven to be one of the most frequently available and productive tight ends in the history of the sport.—
Reice Shipley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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With words infallibly falling short, Pritam mingled realism with a fragmentary style of narration that meshes together social encounters, violent episodes, vivid metaphors, disturbing dreams, memories, intimate self-reflections, and introspection on society.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2025
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The tracker includes information such as links to the lawsuit complaint (which list all plaintiffs), when a case was filed, the case name, press releases related to the case, a summary of the case in Nessel's words and the status of each case.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Nike’s new slogan is the perfect motto for an anxious America.—
,
FOXNews.com,
30 Oct. 2025
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My motto will be to seek first to understand before making decisions.—
Nick Sullivan,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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There is an old adage that the league table isn’t worth looking at until teams have played 10 matches.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
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Each game is its own separate specimen, and the old adage that momentum in baseball is tied to that night’s starting pitcher is quite true.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Maxim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maxim. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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