variants
also mottos
as in sayings
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."
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Recent Examples of mottoes
Forty-some years later, his mottos are literally written on the walls.
—
Brody Miller, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
They should then be joined by the Young Republicans who reportedly have been spouting Nazi mottos and ideas.
—Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
Some signs listing off team mottos – like staying humble and focusing on themselves — have been taken down over doors.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
Before that there had been three mottoes, all traditional rather than official.
—Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 7 Nov. 2025
Over time, it's only woven itself deeper into the fabric of American cultural consciousness, spawning new memes, mottos, and social media trends each year.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Sep. 2025
These pithy mottos are accompanied by three state seal recommendations that look as though they had been composed during kindergarten just before nap time.
—Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 4 Sep. 2025
Brody Miller, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
They should then be joined by the Young Republicans who reportedly have been spouting Nazi mottos and ideas.
—Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
Some signs listing off team mottos – like staying humble and focusing on themselves — have been taken down over doors.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
Before that there had been three mottoes, all traditional rather than official.
—Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 7 Nov. 2025
Over time, it's only woven itself deeper into the fabric of American cultural consciousness, spawning new memes, mottos, and social media trends each year.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Sep. 2025
These pithy mottos are accompanied by three state seal recommendations that look as though they had been composed during kindergarten just before nap time.
—Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mottoes
Noun
-
The chef wrote around 40 sayings and gathered more from his Instagram followers.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The final section contains a collection of Akbar’s epigrammatic sayings.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
At this year’s Thorpe ceremony, too, Barron and Dennard — men of faith — bonded over Proverbs 27:17, talking about Barron’s future.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
12 Apr. 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
Noun
-
In other words, the Chargers won’t be shy about using Mesidor equally in running or passing situations.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Across the whole company, Tobin on Thursday said Dover expects over $1 billion in revenue in 2026 from applications tied to AI and power generation infrastructure — in other words, the buzzy trends driving so much of the market.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Mottoes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mottoes. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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