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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
Economist Milton Friedman’s influential maxim, that a company’s sole obligation is to maximize profits, is outdated.
—
Leonard L. Berry, The Conversation, 3 Sep. 2024
Many of the events and organizations below live out a favorite maxim of the late congressman and judge Abner Mikva: democracy is not a noun but a verb.
—
Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2024
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
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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 11 Sep. 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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