maxims

noun

plural of maxim
as in sayings
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 maxims 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 Maybe anyone planning long journeys should take those maxims as advice anyhow. — Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026 The rest of the book is spent expanding on these maxims one by one, in her colloquial, easy style, with references to classic psychological studies, her own research and her own experiences. — Lamorna Ash, The Dial, 25 Nov. 2025 Everything bops breezily along, stopping occasionally to have Dek growl maxims about strength through domination, and observe a decapitation or two. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2025 Visitors who travel down a dirt road to The Hollow — named for the hollow-core concrete that made Mellor wealthy — can enter the compound through a dark, cavernous passage lined with neon signs illuminating maxims from the likes of Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, and Flynn. — Arthur Allen, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025 Visitors who travel down a dirt road to The Hollow — named for the hollow-core concrete that made Mellor wealthy — can enter the compound through a dark, cavernous passage lined with neon signs illuminating maxims from the likes of Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, and Flynn. — Arthur Allen, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maxims
  1. sayings
  2. proverbs
  3. words
Noun
  • Where the most hopelessly corny sayings are painstakingly stitched into the equivalent of cloth graph paper by women who believe in the sayings and give the plaques to people who do not believe in the sayings.
    — Padgett Powell, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • Arriving on July 17 through Mass Appeal, the project plays on one of his signature sayings while conveying his mindset at this stage in his personal and professional journey.
    — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of sayings
Noun
  • The third film in director Éric Rohmer’s series Comedies and Proverbs, Pauline at the Beach explores the emotions (and delusions) around summer love.
    — Air Mail, Air Mail, 20 June 2026
  • For nine months, Erasmus spent his short nights in a modest dorm and his long days in the print shop, expanding on his collection of proverbs Adagiorum chiliades while Aldus proofread, craftsman carefully laying sets of print and rolling paper through the press.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025
Definition of proverbs
Noun
  • And while Argentina’s culture of talk therapy may turn psychic suffering into words on the therapist’s couch, fans may be reassured that the pros are trained to translate their nerves into strategy on the pitch.
    — Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
  • As seen in a video posted by Fanatics on Instagram and X, the former NFL quarterback traded words with Paul face-to-face before slapping him, and was ultimately pulled away.
    — Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026
Definition of words

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Cite this Entry

“Maxims.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maxims. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of maxims for Spanish Speakers

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