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1
: a general truth, fundamental principle, or rule of conduct
Mother's favorite maxim was "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."
2
: a proverbial saying
advised her daughter with the maxim "marry in haste, repent at leisure"
Synonyms
Examples of maxim in a Sentence
it's a common maxim that “a watched pot never boils,” but that's not literally true
Recent Examples on the Web
Abu Hamdan challenges a maxim forced onto the marginalized: that their voices are a source of power.
—
Seyward Darby, Longreads, 2 Aug. 2024
Or rather, the whole effort is animated by the Reagan-era maxim that personnel is policy, that power flows from having the right people in the right jobs.
—
Alec MacGillis, ProPublica, 1 Aug. 2024
For actor Tanya Reynolds, that maxim might also apply to robotic animals.
—
Sophie Hanson, StyleCaster, 25 July 2024
Clearly, the customer is not always right, or amusing, but there is another retail maxim that applies here, which is not to take out one’s frustrations (with the scanner, in this case) on the customer.
—
Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 18 July 2024
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'maxim.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near maxim
Cite this Entry
“Maxim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maxim. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Kids Definition
maxim
noun
max·im
ˌmak-səm
1
: a general truth or rule of conduct
2
: a proverbial saying
Biographical Definition
Maxim 1 of 2
biographical name (1)
Max·im
ˈmak-səm
Sir Hiram Stevens 1840–1916 British (American-born) inventor
Maxim
2 of 2biographical name (2)
Hudson 1853–1927 brother of Hiram Maxim American inventor
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