saying

1 of 2

noun

say·​ing ˈsā-iŋ 

: something said

especially : adage

saying

2 of 2

present participle of say entry 1

Synonyms of saying

Noun

• proverb
• word
• saw
• motto

Examples of saying in a Sentence

Noun

there's an old saying that you should let sleeping dogs lie

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Good fences might make good neighbors, as the old saying goes, but would a silk fence make a good fence? — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 6 Oct. 2026

As the old saying goes, the lightbulb was not the result of the continuous improvement of candles. — Brian Solis, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, as the saying goes, and Metallica and their fans will be staying here off and on at least for a few more months. — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2026

What seems to surprise Obrochta’s audiences most is the age of a saying or discovering what everyday life may have looked like when the expression developed. — Jim Dudlicek, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing saying

• go without saying
• if you don't mind my/me saying so
• I hear what you're saying
• quote as saying
• that's not saying much
• there's no saying

Rhymes for saying

• baying
• braying
• faying
• flaying
• fraying
• graying
• greying
• haying
• laying
• neighing
• paying
• playing

Kids Definition

saying

noun

say·​ing

ˈsā-iŋ

: something frequently said : proverb