as in proverb
a short sentence or phrase that expresses a rule guiding the behavior of a particular person or group
"Hope for the best and prepare for the worst" is my motto. The Scout motto is "Be prepared."
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Recent Examples of motto
The Americans’ team motto for this tournament was ‘FOR GLORY’ -- but these guys get plenty of it.
—
Greg Cote
updated March 17, Miami Herald, 18 Mar. 2026
More than a cliché motto of a liberal arts college, this mission statement shapes the entire student experience at Rollins.
—Joseph Pool, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Mar. 2026
Holding the blue line is the Red Rangers’ motto, helping Barnes (goalie) allow just 12 goals through 26 games this year.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 14 Mar. 2026
Forty-some years later, his mottos are literally written on the walls.
—Brody Miller, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for motto
Greg Cote
updated March 17, Miami Herald, 18 Mar. 2026
More than a cliché motto of a liberal arts college, this mission statement shapes the entire student experience at Rollins.
—Joseph Pool, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Mar. 2026
Holding the blue line is the Red Rangers’ motto, helping Barnes (goalie) allow just 12 goals through 26 games this year.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 14 Mar. 2026
Forty-some years later, his mottos are literally written on the walls.
—Brody Miller, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for motto
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motto
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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The decal features a common saying in intelligence circles.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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More than a saying, pura vida is a guiding philosophy that honors simplicity and sustainability, and celebrates the deep-rooted connection between people and their environment.—
Meghan Palmer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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His words were underscored when police in Israel stopped Catholic leaders from celebrating a private Palm Sunday Mass in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, built on the spot where Jesus was thought to have been crucified.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
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Finally, in 100 words or less, what makes this hotel worthy of Hot List?—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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Proof of this axiom comes from the IRS and its publication of the latest (2023) migration numbers.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Mar. 2026
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Now that Chalamet is also dealing with the headache of his remarks last month to Matthew McConaughey about the lack of impact that ballet and opera have on modern culture, the first and most obvious lesson is that, to quote the old axiom, absence makes the heart grow fonder.—
Josh Spiegel,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Often reduced to a greeting or a commodity, aloha is, in practice, a way of living—rooted in deep love, truth, and connection.—
Wassan Al-Khudhairi,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
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In truth, the slow starts, the disjointed offense and the disconnected defense haven’t been Knicks miscues unique to road games this season.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Motto.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motto. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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