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."
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of motto
Being overlooked or given up on in life is damn near the team motto.
—
Nick Baumgardner, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
Every state has a flag, of course, and also a motto.
—Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 28 Dec. 2024
The motto Sanders recited as a player is now emblazoned in white and gold on a garage-like door at the university’s facility in Boulder.
—Emmanuel Morgan, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
The women’s team’s players have devised their own motto with the help of a psychologist.
—Charlotte Harpur, The Athletic, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for motto 
Nick Baumgardner, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
Every state has a flag, of course, and also a motto.
—Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 28 Dec. 2024
The motto Sanders recited as a player is now emblazoned in white and gold on a garage-like door at the university’s facility in Boulder.
—Emmanuel Morgan, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
The women’s team’s players have devised their own motto with the help of a psychologist.
—Charlotte Harpur, The Athletic, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for motto
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motto
Noun
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But remember, where there’s fire, there’s smoke, which may be a reversal of the standard proverb but is highly relevant here.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes,
10 Jan. 2025
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To paraphrase an old proverb, the best time to connect the fights for trans and reproductive rights was decades ago.—
Colleen Hamilton,
Them,
4 Dec. 2024
Noun
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By Jamie Ducharme January 24, 2025 12:22 PM EST Everything is negotiable, as the saying goes—and that includes medical bills.—
Jamie Ducharme,
TIME,
24 Jan. 2025
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The saying is that even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then.—
Vic Tafur,
The Athletic,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Vrabel spoke those words following Ohio State’s 28-0 victory over Purdue, improving the Buckeyes’ record to 7-0 (3-0 in the Big Ten).—
Steve Buckley,
The Athletic,
17 Jan. 2025
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But first, what’s the word on the aisles of the Marina Bay Sands Convention Center?—
The Editors of ARTnews,
ARTnews.com,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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This maxim holds just as true in cyber security as in sports.—
Phillimon Zongo,
Forbes,
27 Dec. 2024
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There’s the old maxim that country music more than any other genre is about storytelling.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
5 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The hope of deriving one set of rules, or axioms, to govern all mathematical truths was fatally undermined.—
Theodore McDarrah,
Forbes,
14 Jan. 2025
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The famous wrestler Sting, in describing his character change in 1996 from a clear babyface to a darker, enigmatic character, offered the perfect axiom about predicting the future.—
Richard Deitsch,
The Athletic,
31 Dec. 2024
Noun
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And then, sooner or later, the whole truth will come out.—
Zach Harper,
The Athletic,
22 Jan. 2025
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By embracing the imperfections, his music remained rooted in authenticity and truth.—
Britt Julious,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near motto
Cite this Entry
“Motto.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motto. Accessed 28 Jan. 2025.
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