saying
Americannoun
idioms
noun
Etymology
Origin of saying
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English (gerund); see say 1, -ing 1
Explanation
A short, common, and easy-to-remember phrase is a saying. When class ends right before your turn to give a speech, you might use the saying, "Saved by the bell!" A saying is basically the same as an aphorism, an adage, or a proverb, usually offering some kind of wisdom. If you accidentally break your sister's favorite teacup, you might think of the saying "To err is human, to forgive divine," which means that everyone makes mistakes but only truly remarkable people are able to forgive these mistakes. You should probably also remind yourself of the saying, "Honesty is the best policy."
Vocabulary lists containing saying
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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One Idea, Part 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Raman hit Bass repeatedly on her record, saying the incumbent failed to act with urgency on repairs to streets, sidewalks and other infrastructure, production of new apartments and the exodus of Hollywood jobs.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
A lot of people are saying it is France or Spain, but for me it is between Brazil and England... and I am saying England!
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
At the same time, it cautioned that cost inflation is trending upwards, with the CFO saying the company was starting to see an impact on raw material costs from the Middle East conflict.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
On Tuesday, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported Xi as saying he had reached "an important consensus with Kim on developing China-DPRK relations in the new era", using North Korea's official acronym.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
Arlo comes down from his room and rushes to the table, saying he’s starving.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
