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sage

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word sage distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of sage are judicious, prudent, sane, sapient, sensible, and wise. While all these words mean "having or showing sound judgment," sage suggests wide experience, great learning, and wisdom.

the sage advice of my father

When can judicious be used instead of sage?

The words judicious and sage can be used in similar contexts, but judicious stresses a capacity for reaching wise decisions or just conclusions.

judicious parents using kindness and discipline in equal measure

When would prudent be a good substitute for sage?

Although the words prudent and sage have much in common, prudent suggests the exercise of restraint guided by sound practical wisdom and discretion.

a prudent decision to wait out the storm

When could sane be used to replace sage?

The meanings of sane and sage largely overlap; however, sane stresses mental soundness, rationality, and levelheadedness.

remained sane even in times of crises

When is sapient a more appropriate choice than sage?

In some situations, the words sapient and sage are roughly equivalent. However, sapient suggests great sagacity and discernment.

the sapient musings of an old philosopher

When might sensible be a better fit than sage?

While in some cases nearly identical to sage, sensible applies to action guided and restrained by good sense and rationality.

a sensible woman who was not fooled by flattery

In what contexts can wise take the place of sage?

The synonyms wise and sage are sometimes interchangeable, but wise suggests great understanding of people and of situations and unusual discernment and judgment in dealing with them.

wise beyond his tender years

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sage
Noun
Other a la carte items include turkey stock, gravy, cranberry relish, charcuterie boards and sage stuffing. Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 27 Nov. 2024 Evergreen trees, sage or rosemary can add warm scents to the room. Nerdwallet, The Mercury News, 25 Nov. 2024 And that’s only the beginning of this theme park sage knowledge. Deanne Revel, Southern Living, 29 Nov. 2024 The thoughtful design is a highlight in this one-bedroom apartment, with unique details like the scalloped headboard in the bedroom and sage tiles in the shower. Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 28 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sage 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sage
Adjective
  • Only 38% of parents consider becoming a content creator to be a wise career choice.
    Jack Kelly, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
  • This approach would be wiser than pushing for a package of immediate and flashy short-term concessions that would damage alliances without realigning them meaningfully.
    Rush Doshi, Foreign Affairs, 29 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • That year, Morgan’s son, J. Pierpont Morgan, Jr., or Jack, made his father’s library a public institution, easily accessible to scholars.
    Hilton Als, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024
  • But work and organization scholar Philip Hancock offers a different angle on the familiar image of the Santa Claus-for-hire: that of a worker in a temporary seasonal service job.
    Laura Clawson, JSTOR Daily, 15 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • As the nation appears to be in one form of transition or another, transitioning to a position of safety may not just be prudent but also quite wise.
    Ron Insana, CNBC, 9 Dec. 2024
  • All in all, a prudent categorization in this context cannot do something blindly such as purely relying on the number of words.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near sage

Cite this Entry

“Sage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sage. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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