mantra
Americannoun
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Hinduism. a word or formula, as from the Veda, chanted or sung as an incantation or prayer.
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an often repeated word, formula, or phrase, often a truism.
If I hear the “less is more” mantra one more time, I'll scream.
noun
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Hinduism any of those parts of the Vedic literature which consist of the metrical psalms of praise
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Hinduism Buddhism any sacred word or syllable used as an object of concentration and embodying some aspect of spiritual power
Other Word Forms
- mantric adjective
Etymology
Origin of mantra
Borrowed into English from Sanskrit around 1800–10
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.
"I'm carrying boxing on my back," has been Joshua's mantra all week.
From BBC
He is convinced artificial intelligence is critical to media’s future: “My new mantra is ‘embrace AI or die.’
For years, Wells Fargo WFC -1.20%decrease; red down pointing triangle executives skeptical of building an investment bank touted a mantra of “kitchen tables, not league tables.”
That mantra worked on Test debut, when Conway scored 200 against England at Lord's, and it could see him go higher on day two at Bay Oval.
From Barron's
That mantra has stuck with him as a reminder that he must always take time to be present on whatever journey he takes.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
