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Synonyms

saying

American  
[sey-ing] / ˈseɪ ɪŋ /

noun

  1. something said, say, especially a proverb or apothegm.

    Synonyms:
    aphorism, saw, adage, maxim

idioms

  1. go without saying, to be completely self-evident; be understood.

    It goes without saying that you are welcome to visit us at any time.
saying British  
/ ˈseɪɪŋ /

noun

  1. a maxim, adage, or proverb

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of saying

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English (gerund); say 1, -ing 1

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.

But in June, Judge Lewis Liman dismissed Baldoni's suit, saying his team had "not adequately alleged that Lively's threats were wrongful extortion rather than legally permissible hard bargaining or renegotiation of working conditions".

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

On Thursday, the U.K. government released a statement saying that its pharmaceutical companies wouldn’t be tariffed—an assertion the Trump official confirmed, saying that U.K. drugmakers had already committed to invest in the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

Cole posted a video to the Chinese social media site Douyin saying he was in China and “excited” to be there.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

Trump expressed his thanks in a post on his Truth social media platform, saying, "when completed, it will be the greatest and most beautiful ballroom of its kind anywhere in the world."

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

But he could not leave without saying goodbye.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

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.