as in proverb
an often stated observation regarding something from common experience
it's a common maxim that "a watched pot never boils," but that's not literally true
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Recent Examples of maxim
If the old maxim is true that everything’s bigger in Texas, then BEVO is living, breathing proof of it.
—
Alison Bonaguro, Southern Living, 29 Aug. 2025
There's a maxim in the intelligence community always about speaking truth to power.
—ABC News, 24 Aug. 2025
Some posters and signs displayed outside Trump Tower referred to an ancient maxim about the moral obligation to speak out against injustice, Fornari said.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2025
The celebrity certainly lived up to that maxim.
—Daniel Cote, Robb Report, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for maxim
Alison Bonaguro, Southern Living, 29 Aug. 2025
There's a maxim in the intelligence community always about speaking truth to power.
—ABC News, 24 Aug. 2025
Some posters and signs displayed outside Trump Tower referred to an ancient maxim about the moral obligation to speak out against injustice, Fornari said.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2025
The celebrity certainly lived up to that maxim.
—Daniel Cote, Robb Report, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for maxim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maxim
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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But as the saying goes, the best ability is availability, and Ertz has proven to be one of the most frequently available and productive tight ends in the history of the sport.—
Reice Shipley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
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As the saying goes, the best defense is a good offense.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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With words infallibly falling short, Pritam mingled realism with a fragmentary style of narration that meshes together social encounters, violent episodes, vivid metaphors, disturbing dreams, memories, intimate self-reflections, and introspection on society.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2025
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The tracker includes information such as links to the lawsuit complaint (which list all plaintiffs), when a case was filed, the case name, press releases related to the case, a summary of the case in Nessel's words and the status of each case.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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My motto will be to seek first to understand before making decisions.—
Nick Sullivan,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Oct. 2025
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Consistency over intensity is the Pvolve motto.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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That is the adage used to scold someone whose gaze is fixed on a particular subject a little too long.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
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The second round is a bigger swing, a bolder gambit all the way around, really, and not just because it’s based on a high-stakes example of the adage about asking for forgiveness being better than waiting for permission.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Maxim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maxim. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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