truism

[ troo-iz-uhm ]

noun

1. a self-evident, obvious truth.

   Synonyms: platitude, cliché

truism

/ ˈtruːɪzəm /

noun

1. an obvious truth; platitude

Confusables Note

Contrary to what some people believe, the word truism is not a more elegant word for truth. While the word truth can occasionally be used to refer to a “truism,” since truisms are often true, the reverse—the use of truism to mean “truth”—is unwise. Truism stands for a certain kind of truth—a cliché, a platitude, something so self-evident that it is hardly worth mentioning. One can use it to accuse another writer or speaker of saying something so obvious or evident and trite that pointing it out is pointless. To say that a statement is a truism when you intend to compliment it as truthful, factual, even provable, will merely serve to confuse those who know that calling something a truism is not praise, but a criticism or insult. Note, however, that truism is used in a technical sense in mathematics or philosophy for restating something that is already known from its terms or premises. Examples of such truisms include: “Men are not women” and “Since the circumference of a circle equals twice the radius multiplied by π (2π r ), it equals the diameter multiplied by π (π d ).”

Derived Forms

• truˈistic, adjective

Other Words From

• tru·istic tru·isti·cal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of truism¹

First recorded in 1700–10; true + -ism

Word History and Origins

Origin of truism¹

C18: from true + -ism

Example Sentences

There’s a truism in advertising that sex sells.

From Salon

Were you aware of any DC dating culture truisms when you brought the show to that city?

From Salon

Jackson Women's Health, the Supreme Court decision that ended abortion rights, it was a truism in the Beltway press that Americans were "bitterly divided" on abortion.

From Salon

It is a truism with youth players that they have the power to make it impossible to ignore them through the excellence of their performance.

From BBC

Also, going back to Sun Tzu or Napoleon, it’s been a truism that when your opponent is flailing, you shouldn’t get in the way.

From Los Angeles Times