motto

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

Relevance

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 motto Saxon’s constantly giving his life mottoes. Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 4 Apr. 2025 Our motto this year is #yougottabelieve. Alex Kushel, Sun Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2025 Marion has a motto that has resonated to players and coaches. Joe Davidson, Sacramento Bee, 21 Mar. 2025 That’s a memorable motto to live by. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for motto
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motto
Noun
  • But Bluey’s comforted when Calypso tells her a proverb about a farmer who trusts everything will turn out the way it’s meant to be.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Whitaker nicknamed the place Sparrow Hall, a reference to a medieval saint’s proverb about a sparrow who flies over a royal banquet, feeling only a brief moment of warmth.
    Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 17 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Diet As the saying goes, everything starts with your diet—and that includes bone health.
    Melanie Curry, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025
  • There is a saying among lawyers and crisis communications professionals: A coverup is often worse than the crime or crisis itself.
    Rick Pozniak, Boston Herald, 1 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Unfortunately, the question of how much worth is placed on an Israeli life versus a Palestinian one is answered mostly in words, and thus, in too direct (and perhaps too didactic) a fashion, when so much of the movie’s drama could have grounded it emotionally.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
  • So Far The word takes on a whole other meaning, however, once Violet enters the swank joint.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Many corporate leaders still adhere to Milton Friedman’s maxim that the primary purpose of a company is to maximize shareholder returns.
    Roger Dooley, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Wishbone Kitchen’s House Rules Here are the maxims Hayden lives by to make her home feel cozy and personal—while still preserving her peace and her space.
    Jenny Comita, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • There’s an old axiom in physics, which states that nature abhors a vacuum.
    Letters to the editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2025
  • There is a lot of axiomatics, which seems to be closer to the Greeks, but aren’t the axioms largely chosen at will?
    Simone Weil, Harper's Magazine, 2 July 2024
Noun
  • Johnson’s joke struck at a core truth of Chicago politics.
    Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025
  • According to Gottlieb, the harsh truth is that celebrity imprints don’t generally deliver for publishers and more often than not are a huge waste of time for the celebrities.
    Andy Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 4 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Motto.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motto. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on motto

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!