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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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.
Nath's family has expressed similar concerns, saying they were considering legal options over the acquittals and hoped for government support.
From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026
Russia was invited at "the highest level" for the December 14-15 summit in Miami, the state news agency RIA Novosti quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin as saying.
From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026
Last year, Meta slashed 3,600 jobs, saying the cuts were performance-based, though some workers pushed back against that characterization.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026
In the subsequent years, the number of employees climbed again, and in early 2025, Zuckerberg announced cuts again, saying he had “decided to raise the bar on performance management and move out low-performers faster.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026
At last he looked up from his task, saying, “I’ve just thought of a plan, and I think it’ll work.”
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
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.
