truism

noun

ˈtrü-ˌi-zəm How to pronounce truism (audio)
Definition of truismnext
as in cliché
an idea or expression that has been used by many people ended his letter with the overused truism, "You can't win them all!"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of truism There’s a truism that all models are wrong, but some are useful. — ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026 This is certainly true—and a rather banal truism. — The Atlantic, 16 June 2026 Rick Jackson is testing that truism in his campaign for Georgia governor. — Jesse Bedayn, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026 His deep arsenal gives him a chance to handle a truism of the craft. — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for truism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for truism
  1. platitude
  2. commonplace
  3. proverb
  4. trope
  5. saying
  6. banality
  7. bromide
Noun
  • Hughes offered the usual interview platitudes and seemed to be pleased with how his team was playing.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Because the story lines are facile fakes, because the characters are blanked out, the substance of relationships is reduced to dialogue of generalities and platitudes.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of platitude
Noun
  • Wolff was only the eighth woman to drive a Formula 1 car (four more have done it since); the role, a now-commonplace one that includes driving the simulator during Grand Prix weekends to inform trackside strategy, was created for her.
    — Danielle McNally, InStyle, 28 May 2026
  • The videos are often integrated into larger montages of drone strikes, underscoring how commonplace these drones have become for Russian forces.
    — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
Definition of commonplace
Noun
  • In American sports, namely college and professional football, head coaches often land on one singular proverb after a victory.
    — Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The underlying lesson of the proverb dates back at least to the time of the first Olympics in Greece — nearly 3,000 years ago, for those counting at home.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of proverb
Noun
  • The South London artist channels Disney soundtrack tropes into claustrophobic strings and drones, while a handful of vocal tracks hint darkly at real-world family drama.
    — Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Rumiko Takahashi's Ranma 1/2 manga laid the groundwork for some of the genre's most enduring tropes (gender switching, horny old guys, tournaments), and this is the second anime adaptation, this time from Studio MAPPA.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of trope
Noun
  • The old saying goes that rotation is the lifeblood of a bull market.
    — Todd Gordon, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of saying
Noun
  • There’s so much premeditation and passion into doing that, and to actually play that with no music and just the sound and the banality of a lifeless body being hit by some blunt instrument is very viscerally upsetting.
    — Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Then morning would come, with all the banalities that drew them apart.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of banality
Noun
  • At the time, the state used a three-drug execution protocol of midazolam, vecuronium bromide and potassium chloride.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The protocol involved an administration of an anesthetic, sodium thiopental, followed by pancuronium bromide, a paralytic agent, and finally by potassium chloride to stop the heart, all in much higher doses than they’re typically used.
    — Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of bromide

Browse Nearby Words

trueness
truism
truisms
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Truism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/truism. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of galore

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All