as in proverb
an often stated observation regarding something from common experience
her mother endlessly repeated the apothegm "cleanliness is next to godliness"
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Recent Examples of apothegm
As with every Together Live speaker, each apothegm is met with exuberant applause.
—
Zoë Ghertner, Vogue, 10 Jan. 2019
Zoë Ghertner, Vogue, 10 Jan. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apothegm
Noun
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On the other hand, perhaps this is one of those rare and unforeseen opportunities that give rise to the proverb of no guts, no glory.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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For centuries, the proverb has reminded us that seeing is believing.—
Mark Ellwood,
Robb Report,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Hats, t-shirts, jerseys, wristbands, belts, and much more featuring John Cena's logos and sayings are now available to fans.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
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As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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How To Play Wordle Wordle is a daily word puzzle game where your goal is to guess a hidden five-letter word in six tries or fewer.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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The two men shared warm words, often walking side by side as military bands and mounted troops staged elaborate ceremonies on the castle grounds.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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That celebrated epigram is delivered by the character of Octave, who is the greatest creation of Renoir’s career—not least because he’s played by Renoir in a performance that’s essentially a self-portrait, even an onscreen self-creation.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
30 July 2025
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It’s been codified as myths, proverbs, clichés, epigrams, parables; the skeleton of every great story.—
Jann E. Freed,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Apothegm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apothegm. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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