apothegm

noun

ˈa-pə-ˌthem How to pronounce apothegm (audio)
Definition of apothegmnext
as in proverb
an often stated observation regarding something from common experience her mother endlessly repeated the apothegm "cleanliness is next to godliness"

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example 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 apothegm As with every Together Live speaker, each apothegm is met with exuberant applause. — Zoë Ghertner, Vogue, 10 Jan. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apothegm
  1. proverb
  2. saying
  3. word
  4. epigram
  5. aphorism
Noun
  • That proverb, attributed to everyone from Yogi Berra to a Danish Nobel laureate, springs to mind whenever someone asks me about an upcoming NFL season.
    — Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • An ancient proverb notes that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of proverb
Noun
  • Well, ‘It’s been emotional’ has become one of the British icon sayings of movie history, which is fantastic.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026
  • As the saying goes, the shortest way through a storm is straight.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of saying
Noun
  • The applause barely stopped, and the crowd sang along to every word as well as danced in their seats throughout the entire two-and-a-half-hour show.
    — Nada Aboul Kheir, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Her words are not of gratitude but resentment, bile and narcissism.
    — Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of word
Noun
  • By greatly expanding the dimensions of his images, with their muted palettes, tight cropping, found symmetries, and laconic wit, had the maestro of the photographic epigram betrayed his subtractive aesthetic?
    — James Quandt, Artforum, 2 June 2026
  • Johnson is the author of the epigrams, but Boswell is very much the co-author.
    — David Frum, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026
Definition of epigram
Noun
  • At one point, Lowe and Rogan joked about the hoary aphorism that says anyone who isn’t a liberal at 25 has no heart, but anyone who isn’t a conservative by 35 has no head.
    — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 26 July 2026
  • What remains are cinematic aphorisms that may well be true, but cannot alone tell a compelling story.
    — Elena Lazic, Variety, 25 July 2026
Definition of aphorism

Browse Nearby Words

apothecary
apothegm
apothegmatic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Apothegm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apothegm. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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