Thesaurus results for MAXIMS

maxims

noun

plural of maxim

as in sayings

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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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 maxims The walls are robin’s-egg blue, painted with images of meditating skeletons and vaguely inspirational maxims. — John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026 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 Maybe anyone planning long journeys should take those maxims as advice anyhow. — Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026 The rest of the book is spent expanding on these maxims one by one, in her colloquial, easy style, with references to classic psychological studies, her own research and her own experiences. — Lamorna Ash, The Dial, 25 Nov. 2025 Everything bops breezily along, stopping occasionally to have Dek growl maxims about strength through domination, and observe a decapitation or two. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2025 Visitors who travel down a dirt road to The Hollow — named for the hollow-core concrete that made Mellor wealthy — can enter the compound through a dark, cavernous passage lined with neon signs illuminating maxims from the likes of Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, and Flynn. — Arthur Allen, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for maxims

Noun

As part of their annual Halloween decor drop, Anthropologie released Halloween bistro tile items that blend classic motifs and sayings with the Bistro Tile Collection’s Parisian style.

— Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Aug. 2026
Teachers of science, mathematics and English were expected to include Quranic verses, sayings and traditions attributed to the Prophet Muhammad or other religious messages in their lessons.

— Fatima Faizi, NPR, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of sayings

Noun

The third film in director Éric Rohmer’s series Comedies and Proverbs, Pauline at the Beach explores the emotions (and delusions) around summer love.

— Air Mail, Air Mail, 20 June 2026
For nine months, Erasmus spent his short nights in a modest dorm and his long days in the print shop, expanding on his collection of proverbs Adagiorum chiliades while Aldus proofread, craftsman carefully laying sets of print and rolling paper through the press.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025

Definition of proverbs

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“Maxims.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maxims. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of maxims

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