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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of maxim
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
Ash found success by attending revival-style sales conventions and memorizing every smile, wink, and maxim in the Stanley songbook.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
There are three problems with this maxim.
—Tad Friend, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Still, that leaves a substantial audience who will find much to enjoy in this grisly yet sensitive take on the old maxim that every baby is different.
—Catherine Bray, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for maxim
Emily Heil, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2026
Ash found success by attending revival-style sales conventions and memorizing every smile, wink, and maxim in the Stanley songbook.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
There are three problems with this maxim.
—Tad Friend, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Still, that leaves a substantial audience who will find much to enjoy in this grisly yet sensitive take on the old maxim that every baby is different.
—Catherine Bray, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for maxim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maxim
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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The goal is to avoid more bloodshed and displacement on the path to a reality in which both Jews and Arabs can live in peace and dignity in the two states that ought to exist between—as the saying goes—the river and the sea.—
Michael W. Sonnenfeldt,
The Atlantic,
20 May 2026
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Pride, the saying goes, comes before a fall.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2026
Noun
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Letters may be up to 200 words and must be signed with your email address, city of residence and daytime phone number for verification.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
24 May 2026
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Those words matter because, for many families, overcoming barriers was part of the struggle itself.—
John W. Beacham,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2026
Noun
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The Tribune adopted it in 1940, but Porter’s motto remained largely a regional phenomenon for four decades until CBS broadcaster Brent Musburger, a former Chicago newspaper reporter, began using it during the NCAA tournament in 1982.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
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This new motto could be this year’s version.—
Jesse Granger,
New York Times,
23 May 2026
Noun
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John Atashian/Getty Images There’s an old adage about good ideas never going out of fashion.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
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More than 5,000 of you wrote in with adages that were wise, moving and often funny — from the golden rule to the importance of always wearing clean underwear.—
Catherine Pearson,
New York Times,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Maxim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maxim. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
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