saying
Americannoun
idioms
noun
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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One Idea, Part 2
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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.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General raised alarms about the program in a 2022 memorandum, saying the department wasn’t properly tracking complaints about potential fraud.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026
“It allowed me to dig deeper and gave me permission to call myself an actor when I thought I was just wearing somebody else’s clothes and saying somebody else’s words.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
Rogan later revealed on his podcast that he had been texting with the president prior to the event, saying that he brought up the issue to Trump himself.
From Salon • Apr. 22, 2026
"Carrying that and not saying anything would have destroyed her more," she said.
From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026
With the support of his new grandparents, he allowed himself to finally start saying goodbye to Grandma, the first of many steps in a world, in a life, without her physical presence.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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.
