as in cliche
an idea or expression that has been used by many people
ended his letter with the overused truism, "You can't win them all!"
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Recent Examples of truism
All that audiences at the Palace Theatre get is a picture of steak knives on the preshow curtain, then a picture of a Cadillac at intermission and then the text of the truism itself.
—
Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2025
These truisms posit that, for example, all human beings are inherently good.
—Kent Russell, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
There’s a truism that outdoor dining was the one most visible silver lining of COVID’s disastrous impact on the city, and that seems plainly so.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2025
This isn’t a Giants-specific truism, so the early returns can be meaningful, even in a small sample.
—Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for truism
Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2025
These truisms posit that, for example, all human beings are inherently good.
—Kent Russell, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
There’s a truism that outdoor dining was the one most visible silver lining of COVID’s disastrous impact on the city, and that seems plainly so.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2025
This isn’t a Giants-specific truism, so the early returns can be meaningful, even in a small sample.
—Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for truism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for truism
Noun
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Nonetheless, there is a satisfying, compact completeness to their handling of the storylines of four different young mothers and sufficient grace notes are enabled in each case to stave off the cliches that occasionally threaten to engulf events.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
23 May 2025
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Democrats kept presenting cliches as insights and old ideas as new ideas.—
Charlotte Alter,
Time,
19 May 2025
Noun
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Historically, these White House sit-downs were dull affairs, replete with grip-and-grin platitudes and geopolitical jargon.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
22 May 2025
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The lyrics, also Thurber’s, reiterate the kinds of platitudes found in Goddess’s book.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
21 May 2025
Noun
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Luxury scented candles, like room sprays for that matter, have the power to elevate any moment: taking it from commonplace to utterly indulgent.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
26 Mar. 2025
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The Grand Ole Opry House holds 4,400 people, but can’t accommodate standing-room tours, a commonplace in genres like EDM and hip-hop.—
Matthew Leimkuehler,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
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To butcher a proverb, if Bielsa is for you, who in that corner of England could possibly be against you?—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
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This powerful African proverb reminds us that a community of caring individuals—be it relatives, friends, or community members—plays a vital role in raising a child.—
Ronny Maye,
Essence,
10 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Truism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/truism. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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