proverb

noun

ˈprä-ˌvərb How to pronounce proverb (audio)
Definition of proverbnext
as in saying
an often stated observation regarding something from common experience her grandfather has a proverb for every occasion

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 proverb Popeye the Sailor Man has been guzzling spinach since 1931 to build muscle, while the apple-a-day advice derives from a 19th-century Welsh proverb. — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 5 May 2026 The old proverb about pride coming before a fall continues to wreck modern boardrooms for a reason. — Kevin Brady, Forbes.com, 4 May 2026 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, 16 Apr. 2026 In Indonesian folklore, durian also often appears in proverbs and riddles. — JSTOR Daily, 25 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for proverb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proverb
  1. saying
  2. word
  3. maxim
  4. adage
  5. aphorism
  6. motto
Noun
  • Put junk into it, and more junk will come out, as the saying goes.
    — Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Last week, during a state banquet for Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq at Windsor Castle, the King quoted a hadith, a saying of the prophet Muhammad, in Arabic.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of saying
Noun
  • Without any apparent word from SED on its impact on public schools, the governor recently committed the state to Trump administration tax credits for families’ school expenses.
    — David Bloomfield, New York Daily News, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Or perhaps this cloud is a textual reduction of a larger discourse—words extracted from customer reviews?
    — Alec Mapes-Frances, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of word
Noun
  • The mindful alignment of body and mind is the guiding maxim of the spa.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • There’s little evidence that Ampere Analysis’ maxim, coined a couple of years ago – a contracting sector chasing a 75% of peak TV business – has not changed.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of maxim
Noun
  • That sports adage could easily describe Dick’s Sporting Goods and Foot Locker’s decision to sign WNBA star Caitlin Clark as their first brand partner.
    — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The adage that truth is stranger than fiction was on full display.
    — Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of adage
Noun
  • Richardson discusses how his early fascination with science and his enjoyment of science fiction has influenced his poetry and considers the way his aphorisms counterbalance his more lyric poems.
    — Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
  • At one point, Lowe and Rogan joked about the hoary aphorism that says anyone who isn’t a liberal at 25 has no heart, but anyone who isn’t a conservative by 35 has no head.
    — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 26 July 2026
Definition of aphorism
Noun
  • This year your motto is ‘An Eye for It,’ to spotlight your unique cultural curation remit.
    — Annika Pham, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • And now there are secrets that are imparted during the rituals, like the secret of what the meaning of the motto is, and that sort of thing.
    — Richard Hall, Time, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of motto

Browse Nearby Words

provender
proverb
proverbs
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Cite this Entry

“Proverb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proverb. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on proverb

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about proverb

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