as in proverb
a short sentence or phrase that expresses a rule guiding the behavior of a particular person or group
"Hope for the best and prepare for the worst" is my motto. The Scout motto is "Be prepared."
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of motto
Marion, 37, has lived that motto, relaying on sports as a positive outlet growing up, having overcome bouts of homelessness as a college football player and throughout his cross-country tours as a fast-rising coach.
—
Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 5 June 2025
Their motto translates to ‘territory, traditions, resilience.’ Sardinia’s northern terrain once generated bulk quantities of Malvasia and Moscato grapes that were sold to a large cooperative.
—Tom Mullen, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
Not the government, whose motto ought to be: No boondoggle left unfunded.
—John Seiler, Oc Register, 31 May 2025
For a guy who lived on the motto of being a great teammate, winning that World Series will always be Memory No. 1.
—Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for motto
Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 5 June 2025
Their motto translates to ‘territory, traditions, resilience.’ Sardinia’s northern terrain once generated bulk quantities of Malvasia and Moscato grapes that were sold to a large cooperative.
—Tom Mullen, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
Not the government, whose motto ought to be: No boondoggle left unfunded.
—John Seiler, Oc Register, 31 May 2025
For a guy who lived on the motto of being a great teammate, winning that World Series will always be Memory No. 1.
—Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for motto
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motto
Noun
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Nobody plots against anyone, but nobody invokes ancient proverbs, either.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
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As the Chinese proverb suggests, U.S. tariffs aimed at Beijing have tested diplomacy and strategy between the two largest world economies.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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There’s a saying that an organized lie is stronger than the disorganized truth.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
17 June 2025
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As the saying goes, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.—
James Blake,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
Noun
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More important would be whether China and Russia took any stronger action against the United States beyond words.—
Matthew Tostevin
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 June 2025
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That word first exploded onto the scene in World War II Britain as Royal Air Force slang for a bomb of enough penetrating power to shatterwhole blocks of homes and pavements.—
Richard Lederer,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 June 2025
Noun
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La Fontaine’s focus on animals and penchant for moral maxims must have immediately attracted her.—
Susan Gubar
June 9,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2025
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For all the screenwriting manuals and maxims that insist on character goals and motivations and missions and all those things we’re supposed to have in real life too, there can be something riveting about a character with no plan at all.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
15 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Gödel showed that any system of axioms in mathematics permits the formulation of statements that can’t be shown to be true or false.—
Philip Ball,
Wired News,
8 June 2025
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Zermelo developed nine simple axioms, that is, unproven basic assumptions, on which everything is based in math.—
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
9 May 2025
Noun
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Longer term, this could feed the optimization layer with live flight-ops and crew-roster data so that disruption management and maintenance planning draw from a single source of truth.—
Ron Schmelzer,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
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But her unruly secrets reflect the uncomfortable truths that are so often hidden in our own histories.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Motto.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motto. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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