as in proverb
an often stated observation regarding something from common experience
there's an old saying that you should let sleeping dogs lie
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in telling
to express (a thought or emotion) in words
why don't you just say what's on your mind?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in expressing
to convey in appropriate or telling terms
I'm not quite sure how to say this, but that's the worst essay I've ever read
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in reciting
to give from memory
say your prayers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in assuming
to take as true or as a fact without actual proof
let's say, for the sake of argument, that this is true
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of saying
Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 31 May 2026
Pride, the saying goes, comes before a fall.
—Mark Barabak, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 25 May 2026
At the time, Green Day's management responded to Love's interview by saying news of Perry's involvement wasn't true and that the group would once again be working with producer Rob Cavallo.
—Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for saying
Noun
As the saying goes, there is no great genius without some touch of madness.
—Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 31 May 2026
Pride, the saying goes, comes before a fall.
—Mark Barabak, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
Verb
So academics on the left and newspapers and so on, essentially saying that the American Revolution was all about slavery and that Britain was allowing the slaves to be freed, and all of this, so hooray for Britain, which was a very improbable development.
—Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 25 May 2026
At the time, Green Day's management responded to Love's interview by saying news of Perry's involvement wasn't true and that the group would once again be working with producer Rob Cavallo.
—Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for saying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for saying
Noun
-
What does the phrase squeaky bum time, the racehorse Devon Loch, and the Portuguese proverb ‘morrer na prais’ all have in common?—
Ian Irving,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
-
The rooms The old Japanese proverb ‘*kachou fuugetsu’—*which translates as ‘flower, bird, wind, moon’ evoking a sense of the transient beauty of nature—is a key concept at the hotel.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In order to secure the funds, the family members submitted fake financial instruments and money orders, continuing to do so even after the IRS sent them letters telling them to stop, according to the statement.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 June 2026
-
Especially telling is the staff’s attention to detail.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Workplaces absolutely require professionalism and emotional intelligence, but confidence becomes fragile when your energy is focused entirely on managing perception instead of expressing ideas honestly and engaging authentically.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
There was Governor Christopher Waller expressing worry that consumer and market psychology was in danger of shifting their inflation expectations higher — a key consideration when figuring out how the Fed should react.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
The pair were just jamming out when Weinberg laid down an idea for a guitar line and Osby was struck with inspiration, instantly reciting lyrics over the chords.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
18 May 2026
-
The finished product appeared to show Kerr reciting the song nearly word for word over the course of the season.—
Paloma Chavez,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Massamba Diop has one of the highest ceilings of any transfer, and Braden Huff returns with the best hook shot in college hoops (assuming JT Toppin doesn’t play this season).—
CJ Moore
June 2,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
-
How data has helped root out discrimination The more imminent change, assuming the EEOC's proposals go forward, is the demise of the agency's annual collection of employee demographics.—
Andrea Hsu,
NPR,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
The game’s objective is to group words or objects into four groups of four based on commonalities within each group as quickly as possible.—
Mark Cooper,
New York Times,
8 June 2026
-
Already, attention must be paid, and italics must be used, because eyepatch Armand is, to use his favorite word, fascinating.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
In a loss, OpenAI could face pressure to implement remedies like age-gating free ChatGPT accounts to protect kids, shutting down conversations that discuss violence and suicide, and removing features that the state says deceptively make ChatGPT feel like talking to a human.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
1 June 2026
-
Cannavaro is not the first global football star to infiltrate Uzbek football (Rivaldo played for Bunyodkor for three years towards the end of his career) but his appointment certainly got a football-mad nation talking.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Known for posting covers of American radio hits in front of a green screen, Magdum submitted his petition for an O-1 nonimmigrant visa and was met with a request for evidence (RFE), an official notice stating that his application needed clarification before a final decision can be made.—
Max Bacall , Tessa Hoyos , Nikos DeGruccio,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
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Behavioral health companies in South Florida say they are being impacted by Medicaid termination letters, with facilities stating the cuts are harming patients who need help and leaving many therapists out of work.—
Morgan Rynor,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Saying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/saying. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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