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
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 saying
Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
Readers share Mother's Day advice, funny sayings and expressions from moms.
—Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 8 May 2026
Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 11 May 2026
But your committee chair is begging for it to be extended and saying there's no misuse of it.
—CBS News, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for saying
Noun
But my curiosity proved stronger than my nay-saying.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
Readers share Mother's Day advice, funny sayings and expressions from moms.
—Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 8 May 2026
Verb
What Chao was saying about this being a platform about people, not about objects, is really recognizing the hard labor of Africans and then doing our very best to bring that to the fore.
—Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 11 May 2026
But your committee chair is begging for it to be extended and saying there's no misuse of it.
—CBS News, 4 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
-
Instead, poor Jack is burdened with the task of telling the story of Willie Stark’s rise from the vantage of Willie Stark’s fall.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
-
Are airlines basically telling consumers, Zach, that the era of ultra cheap flying just isn't profitable anymore?—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
The most touching sections feature John expressing his love for Yoko, and drawing a connection between his love for her and his relationship with Paul, as well as his unresolved feelings about his 1970s activism.—
Vikram Murthi,
IndieWire,
15 May 2026
-
Haymon was much less apprehensive of expressing her opinions, particularly her preference for Gascon’s policies.—
Rafael Perez,
Daily News,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Daisy falls asleep that night reciting the same hushed prayer that the Pearl Girls invoked for her back in Toronto.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
One defendant is accused of assuming the identity of at least four residents in Maryland with the fraudulent intent to obtain payments valued at over $1,500 that were disbursed from the state’s Medicaid program.—
Brendan Nordstrom,
Baltimore Sun,
11 May 2026
-
The diagrams of passengers pulling out floatation devices and assuming crash position were presented with a crisp, legible aesthetic similar to the look of Ikezoe’s paintings.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Each puzzle has exactly one solution, so watch out for words or items that seem to belong to multiple categories!—
Mark Cooper,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
One important tool in early natural-language-processing work was ranking the frequency of word sequences.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Wasserman was the evening’s major speaker and arrived at the event as reporters were talking to Cherfilus-McCormick.—
Anthony Man,
Sun Sentinel,
12 May 2026
-
Schrage was talking, of course, about AI agents, those software programs created to autonomously take action on your behalf and interact with other humans or programs.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Do fans really need the coach to vindicate them by stating the obvious?—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
-
In a statement on March 6, ICE described in detail Damas’ medical treatment, stating that he was tested at the hospital and had been in the hospital’s intensive care unit throughout his stay.—
Suzanne Gamboa,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Saying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/saying. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
