saying
Americannoun
-
sayings
plural
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:
The central bank left rates unchanged for a ninth consecutive quarter in June, saying it expected inflationary pressure to remain moderate and economic growth to stay robust.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
Kylian Mbappe has criticised a viral meme which superimposes his face on the body of a dictator, saying it shows "a lack of political and human awareness".
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
Hasbro, which owns the franchise, issued a statement saying the posts by DHS were made “without permission and do not represent the Transformers brand or Hasbro.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
Let me give you an example that supports what you’re saying, going back to the voting area.
From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2026
One of them had been for a ride on an elephant in that zoo when he was little, he was saying.
From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo
Toward the end of the antitrust trial against the National Football League, the women attorneys on the case with her made her beaded friendship bracelets with sayings like “Closing Queen” and “WTVR Beth Wants.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
The following year, Pulte even produced a slim volume annotating some of his grandfather’s sayings and quotations.
From Salon ● Jun. 9, 2026
The Soviet Union was a land of shortages, but there was no shortage of acerbic sayings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 6, 2026
His sayings, “Stay in your lane” and “Speak it into existence,” became national fodder.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 24, 2025
A few mothers brought cupcakes and passed out heart- shaped candies with sayings printed on them.
From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
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.
