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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Example Sentences
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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
-
Rachel Levasseur’s childhood bedroom is filled with motivational sayings.—
Kate Snow,
NBC news,
9 June 2026
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Grandma may be the queen of nonsensical sayings, but Dad is certainly the king of cheesy jokes.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
The characters liberally use puns, proverbs, and film songs to communicate their thoughts and feelings, and sometimes switch between languages to make a point.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Apr. 2026
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Includes quirky facts, adages, advice, quotes and proverbs, as well as articles about mistletoe, bird nests, perennials, timekeeping, recipes and more.—
Alex Perry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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In other words, the drug may not create the problem from scratch so much as unmask or worsen one that was already simmering.—
Ryan Brennan,
Sacbee.com,
11 June 2026
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The filings cite the president’s own words expressing continued support of the weaponization fund, while declining to answer whether the effort has been halted.—
Sarah Fitzpatrick,
The Atlantic,
11 June 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
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Both maxims are about the stories people tell themselves.—
Julie Beck,
The Atlantic,
2 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mottoes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mottoes. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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