saying
Americannoun
idioms
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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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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.
See Examples For:
FBI officials confirmed the addresses but did not name the individuals subject to the searches, saying the affidavits for the warrants are under seal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
"The exact number is not known. It is certain that staff members are trapped, but it is unclear whether any members of the public are among them," NHK quoted police as saying.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
Clayton responded by saying he was committed to maintaining ODNI’s vital role.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Kelly, 33, added: "I knew something wasn't right. I remember saying there were red flags, but we were told there was nothing to worry about."
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
It keeps talking, like a boat motor with no shut-off valve, saying more stuff I want him to know, even though most of me knows he doesn’t care.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
The following year, Pulte even produced a slim volume annotating some of his grandfather’s sayings and quotations.
From Salon ● Jun. 9, 2026
Reading Mr. Sternberg’s column brought back memories of one of my father’s many sayings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026
He has written poetry since high school, peppers social media with inspirational sayings and donates time and money to several charities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 5, 2026
And speaking "bogan" refers to casual speech with lots of local sayings, he says.
From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2025
All the poems and the sayings were done in lively, or lovely, hands.
From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep
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.
