as in saying
an often stated observation regarding something from common experience
her grandfather has a proverb for every occasion
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of proverb
For nine months, Erasmus spent his short nights in a modest dorm and his long days in the print shop, expanding on his collection of proverbs Adagiorum chiliades while Aldus proofread, craftsman carefully laying sets of print and rolling paper through the press.
—
Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025
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
The lyrics, some inspired by proverbs and biblical passages, convey the fervor of his first love with God, without losing his personal touch.
—Jessica Roiz, Billboard, 17 Oct. 2025
His tale has become a proverb for any outdoor fanatic who, despite all of the proper planning and preparation, is undone by forces more powerful than him or herself.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proverb
Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025
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
The lyrics, some inspired by proverbs and biblical passages, convey the fervor of his first love with God, without losing his personal touch.
—Jessica Roiz, Billboard, 17 Oct. 2025
His tale has become a proverb for any outdoor fanatic who, despite all of the proper planning and preparation, is undone by forces more powerful than him or herself.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proverb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proverb
Noun
-
What’s that famous saying about hell hath no fury?—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
16 May 2026
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Sets come in half-dozens and include designs like a soccer ball, a flag, celebratory sayings in the language and a jersey, according to its website.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee
May 15,
Kansas City Star,
15 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
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One important tool in early natural-language-processing work was ranking the frequency of word sequences.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Noun
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But that maxim may not hold up this year.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
27 Apr. 2026
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But the maxim applies in a different way in the documentary Fork in the Road, which made its world premiere Saturday at the Sonoma International Film Festival in California’s wine country.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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John Atashian/Getty Images There’s an old adage about good ideas never going out of fashion.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
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More than 5,000 of you wrote in with adages that were wise, moving and often funny — from the golden rule to the importance of always wearing clean underwear.—
Catherine Pearson,
New York Times,
8 May 2026
Noun
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There are micro-twists within the major ones, expressive fillips that blend confessions and aphorisms, and grand reflections along with jousts of seductive wit.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
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Oscar Wilde remains the go-to source of aphorisms for Britons after a quick laugh.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Our big motto is just have fun.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
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At a time of scarcity of food during the war, mother used to say her motto to us at meal time.—
Catherine Pearson,
New York Times,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Proverb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proverb. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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