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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of maxim
By now, decades into Americans’ pursuit of cooking as a mainstream hobby, certain maxims have become near-law among food lovers.
—
Emily Heil, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2026
Ash found success by attending revival-style sales conventions and memorizing every smile, wink, and maxim in the Stanley songbook.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
There are three problems with this maxim.
—Tad Friend, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Still, that leaves a substantial audience who will find much to enjoy in this grisly yet sensitive take on the old maxim that every baby is different.
—Catherine Bray, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for maxim
Emily Heil, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2026
Ash found success by attending revival-style sales conventions and memorizing every smile, wink, and maxim in the Stanley songbook.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
There are three problems with this maxim.
—Tad Friend, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Still, that leaves a substantial audience who will find much to enjoy in this grisly yet sensitive take on the old maxim that every baby is different.
—Catherine Bray, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for maxim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maxim
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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Pride, the saying goes, comes before a fall.—
Mark Barabak,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
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As the old saying goes, don’t try to eat an elephant in one bite.—
Bob Rhatigan,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Noun
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After the second disallowance, the crowd of 57,741 sang their disapproval with words that can’t be printed in a family newspaper.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
1 June 2026
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Yet will soon seem to me the defining word of this experience.—
Alexandra Oliva
June 1,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
Noun
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Like the Texas motto, the fashion is bigger here, meaning people aren’t afraid to dress boldly.—
Alyssa Morin,
InStyle,
29 May 2026
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His personal motto comes from Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
Noun
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The old adage says that one bad apple can spoil the bunch.—
Holly Corbett,
Forbes.com,
22 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
Cite this Entry
“Maxim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maxim. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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